Dreams in the Dark
by WatchingTheWatchman
Summary: After the Winter War, the shinigami thought that peace had come at last, but the appearance of strange monsters in the world of the living prove them wrong. After the creatures nearly kill Ikkaku and Yumichika, Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake are sent to the living world to investigate. But that investigation takes them places they never expected.
1. Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note:**

#TODO: Insert generic note about copyright laws and ownership here

This is my first fanfiction, though not the first story I've written; any feedback is welcome!

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Calm Before the Storm**

When the first hell butterfly appeared, Nanao thought nothing of it. The dark-haired shinigami pushed her glasses up her nose, extended a finger for the butterfly to land on, and calmly took the message about a captain's meeting the next morning. It was unusually short notice, which meant she was unlikely to be able to convince Kyoraku Taicho to attend, but that was nothing new.

Then the second hell butterfly landed, barely fifteen minutes later. The captain's meeting was rescheduled to that evening, and it was marked as urgent. Nanao sighed, and reached out for her captain's reiatsu. Urgent meant that Shunsui actually needed to attend, though he'd probably sleep through most of it. Since it was in the evening, and he wouldn't have to wake up early, maybe he'd pay attention for more than five minutes. _Not likely_ , Nanao thought cynically, _but possible_.

Judging by his reiatsu, Shunsui was dozing in the gardens of the 13th division. It was a far better place than many she'd found him in; often by late afternoon he'd be wandering the upper districts of Rukongai in search of a new bar. She signed one last piece of paperwork and put down her pen with a sigh. Of course, if she didn't go fetch him now, he would disappear into some bar or other, and she'd never get him to the meeting on time. "I'll be back shortly," she informed her third seat as she left the office. It was really the captain's office, but she'd commandeered it several decades ago, and Shunsui had never complained.

"Of course, Ise-san," the stocky shinigami responded politely.

She launched into shunpo as soon as she left the division headquarters. Shunsui's reiatsu still hadn't moved, and she sensed Juushiro's reiatsu near him. Hopefully the two captains were drinking or talking, meaning that Shunsui was unlikely to flee the moment he sensed her approach. Nanao had no desire to chase her errant captain all over the Seireitei. She landed at the gates of the 13th division, startling the shinigami on guard.

"Is Ukitake Taicho in?" she asked politely.

"Ah, yes he is, fukutaicho," the girl stammered. "Do you want me to tell him you're here?"

Nanao shook her head. "No need. I'm here for my captain, anyway."

With any luck, he'd actually be semi-awake. Nanao flashed back to the gardens, landing several feet away from her captain, who appeared to be asleep. Juushiro lay next to him, watching the clouds drift by with a serene expression. When she materialized, he sat up and smiled. "Nanao-san! Come to watch the clouds with us?"

"Actually, sir, I've come to make sure Kyoraku Taicho doesn't miss the meeting tonight. I'm sure you received the hell butterflies?"

Juushiro smiled at her. "No need to be so formal. Sit down, relax a little." He nudged Shunsui. "Your fukutaicho is here."

Shunsui lifted his hat off of his eyes and grinned. "So she is, and she's never looked more beautiful."

Nanao sighed. "Sir, there's a meeting tonight at eight pm. You'll be attending."

"Aww, Nanao-chan, do I have to?" he complained. Juushiro and Nanao exchanged exasperated glances.

"Yes, you do," Juushiro replied. "The Soutaicho specifically requested that all captains be present."

Shunsui let his hat fall back down over his face. "He says that every time. Old man Yama won't care if I miss this one."

"Actually, I think he will, sir," Nanao pointed out. "That's why it's an urgent meeting."

Shunsui sighed. "Alright, fine. But I'll only go if you stay here and enjoy the lovely spring weather for a while." Nanao glared at him.

Juushiro chuckled. "The paperwork can wait. Here, have some tea." He poured her a cup, and she huffed out a defeated breath. It would be rude to refuse his hospitality, and she did need to make sure Shunsui got to the meeting on time.

The third hell butterfly showed up moments later. "All captains and lieutenants are to report to the first division immediately. This is an emergency."

Shunsui bolted upright, looking concerned. Any trace of sleepiness vanished from his manner. "What's going on?"

Juushiro shook his head. "I don't know any more than you, I'm afraid." They exchanged a worried glance. The last time a captain's meeting had been called with such haste, it had been nearly a hundred years ago. And it had resulted in the loss of some of the finest captain-class soldiers the Gotei 13 had ever seen. Shunsui's heart still clenched when he thought about his former fukutaicho, though the sting of her loss was less now. Getting kicked in the head by a person you thought you'd never see again had the tendency to do that. He looked over at Nanao from under the brim of his hat, eyes dark. Even if he had to wrap her in kido chains to keep her safe, there was no way he was going to lose another lieutenant.

"It won't come to that," Juushiro promised gently. "Not this time." He knew exactly what his friend was thinking; how could he not? It was his fault Kaien Shiba died, after all. He shook his head, trying to dispel the disquieting thoughts.

Nanao laid a hand on his shoulder. "Ukitake-san? Is everything alright?" There were very few people she touched willingly, but she knew how much comfort Juushiro derived from such simple contact.

He rested a hand over hers, and reassured her, "Everything's fine. I'm just a little worried about the emergency, that's all."

Her glasses hid her thoughts as she replied sensibly, "Then we'd best get to the meeting as quickly as possible. No point in worrying before we have any idea what's happening."

Shunsui chuckled. "As quickly as possible? Does that mean I get to carry my sweet Nanao-chan?"

She rapped his knuckles with her fan as he reached for her. "I can keep up with your shunpo just fine on my own, sir," she admonished coolly. Before Shunsui could badger her about it, she darted off, feeling both captains follow her a split second later. If they exerted themselves, they could have outdistanced her fairly easily, but instead they paced her all the way to the 1st.

The trio landed in front of the doors a moment after Captain Hitsugaya and his lieutenant Rangiku touched down. Rangiku immediately hurried over to Nanao, her uniform exposing even more skin than usual. "Do you know what's going on?" she asked excitedly. "I've heard it's something to do with the living world! I hope we get to go there again; I've been dying for a proper shopping trip."

"If we are sent to the living world, there will be no time for shopping," Hitsugaya interjected icily.

"Oh, captain, you're just mad because you didn't like that scarf I bought you last time," Rangiku cooed. "Don't worry, I'll find you a better present next time!"

"There won't be a next time," Hitsugaya snapped irritably.

"He's been so grumpy lately," Rangiku confided to Nanao in a loud whisper. "I've tried everything to cheer him up, but nothing works."

Nanao rolled her eyes. "Have you tried doing paperwork for once?"

Rangiku giggled. "And give him a heart attack?" She grinned at the young captain fondly. "So I've tried all the fun stuff, how's that?"

"Are you two coming?" Hitsugaya growled. They entered the large hall and lined up side by side behind their respective captains, while Rangiku explained animatedly how she'd attempted to cheer up Hitsugaya. At his threatening glare, she lowered her voice somewhat, but she only subsided when the Soutaicho entered the room.

The old man leaned on the cane concealing his zanpakuto and surveyed the room sourly. "Where is Zaraki Taicho?" He glared at Ikkaku and Yumichika, who had taken the place of their absent captain and lieutenant. "You two are not acceptable substitutes."

Yumichika examined his fingernails idly. "Yachiru and Kenpachi are somewhere in the 50th districts, I believe. Yachiru wanted to go butterfly hunting. I'd much rather not be here, meetings are so unbeautiful, so we'd really be quite happy to leave." Ikkaku grunted in agreement, already looking bored.

The head captain sighed. "You will stay, and report back to Zaraki Taicho that sending his third and fifth seats in his place is completely inappropriate." He turned, and raised his brows at the sight of Shunsui standing calmly in line. "I see, Kyoraku Taicho, that it is in fact possible for you to arrive on time to meetings. I expect that this pattern will continue in the future."

"Anything you say, Yama-jii," Shunsui replied peaceably. He lowered his hat over his face, looking up at the head captain with his eyes shaded.

Yamamoto snorted and turned away. "So! Now that we are all assembled, Kurotsuchi Taicho has some information he'd like to share."

The painted captain nodded to Yamamoto and turned to the assembled captains, grinning humorlessly. "Early this morning, my division received several reports of unusual flares of spiritual pressure in the world of the living. These did not appear to be hollows; nor did they match the reiatsu of the substitute shinigami or his ryoka friends. While the flares did resemble those of newly-created arrancar, there were some disturbing difference." He licked his lips, staring off into the distance. "Quite intriguing really, I'd love to get my hands on whatever was creating them."

"So you don't know the source of these flares," Captain Kuchiki stated.

Kurotsuchi rolled his eyes. "Not yet, not yet. As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," he directed a glare at Byakuya, "the reiatsu did not match any patterns stored in the databases. I sent a team to investigate, but they managed to collect very little usable data before they died. I could not even retrieve their bodies for further experimentation, as something appears to have eaten them whole."

Shunsui lifted his head, eyes narrowed. "You're saying there's an unknown monster stalking the world of the living that eats shinigami?"

"Not precisely," Kurotsuchi replied caustically. "I never said the monster still existed. I sent another team to retrieve the remains of the first group, and they found no trace of the odd spiritual pressure. They did, however, find a pile of dust and bone fragments." He waved a hand at Captain Unohana, long fingernails glinting. "I handed that over to the fourth division for analysis when my techs determined it was organic and contained little of interest."

The serene healer stepped forward, smiling tranquilly. Like always, her spiritual pressure felt like a deep pool of cool water, unruffled by the passing breezes. "The dust was indeed organic, and appeared to be the remains of a long-dead human. There were traces of hollow reiatsu within the bone shards, but it was strangely distorted. The distortion, though not identical to the changes created in an arrancar's reiatsu, was of the same magnitude. We also discovered remnants of shinigami reiatsu within the dust, which leads me to conclude that the twelfth division team was indeed consumed." She frowned slightly. "However, that does not explain where the dust came from, or why the reiatsu flare vanished suddenly."

Byakuya looked sharply at Kurotsuchi. "How long were you able to detect the strange reiatsu?"

"Approximately 3 minutes and 21 seconds," the other captain replied nonchalantly. "A second flare, appearing several hours ago, lasted 4 minutes and 1 second. Again, I sent a response team, but they met the same fate as the first. Really, they were remarkably weak. However, this time, they possessed more sophisticated instrumentation, embedded within their flesh. Before they died, they were able to transmit data that appears to show their spiritual energy being drained from their bodies."

"It was this report that prompted the emergency meeting," Yamamoto growled. He looked at the two eleventh division members. Ikkaku was drumming his fingers on the hilt of his zanpakuto, while Yumichika examined the hem of his shihakusho critically. "Since you two are here, you can go investigate. The twelfth will outfit you with devices that can detect these flares; observe and return. Do not attack unless provoked."

Ikkaku shrugged. "I'm in. Sounds like a challenging opponent," he said, completely disregarding Yamamoto's last instruction.

"It hardly sounds beautiful," Yumichika complained.

Yamamoto glared at him. "It was not a suggestion. Report to Kurotsuchi Taicho after the meeting."

"Do try to return alive," Kurotsuchi urged. "Really, I can't afford to lose much more of my equipment."

Yamamoto sighed wearily. "Your division will be reimbursed for any equipment lost in the line of duty." Kurotsuchi grinned gleefully, and the head captain shook his head. "Meeting dismissed."

As the captains filed out, Unohana stopped Ikkaku and Yumichika with a gesture. "You should both be careful," she warned. "Reiatsu exhaustion is not a simple injury, and a creature that can drain spirit energy is a formidable foe. Kurotsuchi Taicho neglected to inform you that his sixth seat was included in the first party."

Ikkaku looked like he was considering a snarky remark, but faltered under the weight of Unohana's calm gaze. "We'll be fine, Taicho," he replied weakly. She gave him a kind smile, and he hurried out of the room with Yumichika at his heels.

"So that's it," Shunsui grinned, a touch of relief in his tone as he watched the two men stride away. "Eleventh division will take care of it, and we can return to our picnic!" He turned to Nanao, grinning a bit too broadly. "Come, Nanao-chan, I think I need a drink!"

"You always think that, sir," she replied patiently. "Seeing as I don't need to ensure your presence anywhere, I'll be returning to the office. There is still a significant amount of paperwork that needs to be completed."

Shunsui slung an arm around Juushiro, trying to do the same to her. She dodged easily, and he pouted. "My Nanao-chan would rather spend her time in a dusty office than with her adoring captain."

"I would be perfectly happy to spend the time with you, provided you're in the office and doing your paperwork," she answered, knowing what his response would be.

He didn't disappoint her, though for a moment it almost looked like he was considering it. "It's already almost dinner time," he protested. "Surely there isn't that much more work you need to do!" Nanao just rolled her eyes, not dignifying that with a response. What did he expect, when she had double the normal number of forms to complete?

Juushiro twisted out from under Shunsui's arm and looked at her inquiringly. "You will be over for dinner tonight though, right?"

"Right, it is Wednesday, isn't it," she said, startled. "Of course I will." She'd completely forgotten about their weekly dinner, though she had no idea how it had slipped her mind. "I'll see you this evening," she promised. "But now I really do need to get back to work." They bid her an amiable goodbye, and she stepped into shunpo with a smile. Though she had a sneaking suspicion that Shunsui had come up with the idea of weekly dinners just to get her out of the office and make sure she ate, she truly enjoyed the time she spent with the two captains.


	2. The Play's the Thing

**Author's Note:**

# Apparently you can put python comments in here, but not Java/C style comments...interesting

Imagining how Shunsui and Juushiro would have behaved during their Academy days is so much fun.

Fair warning for everyone: this story contains hints of yaoi. If two guys kissing is "perverted" or "disgusting" to you, please stop reading. I don't need more anonymous reviews disparaging homosexuality.

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 **Chapter 2: The Play's the Thing  
**

When Nanao landed outside of Juushiro's home later that evening, the sun was already setting. Shadows stretched long across the ground, and the chilly wind blew softly through the buds on the trees. She sent a little pulse of reiatsu towards Juushiro in lieu of knocking, and received a brush of acknowledgement in return. Slipping off her shoes, she headed towards the kitchen in the back of the house, knowing from experience that was where she would find the two men. Sure enough, Shunsui was lounging against a counter, cup of sake in hand, while Juushiro chopped up vegetables for the night's meal. As she rounded the corner, Shunsui burst out laughing at a comment from the pale captain. Catching sight of her, he called, "Can you believe it? Juu-chan thinks that Kiyone and Sentaro would make an adorable couple."

Juushiro shook his head fondly, reaching around Shunsui for a plate. "I did not say that," he defended himself. "I simply said that they're getting along better these days, and that it's a refreshing change. How you got from that to your assertion, I have no idea."

Shunsui shrugged happily. "Can you imagine them as a couple, though?"

"They'd either kill each other within a week or we'd finally get some peace and quiet around here," Nanao replied. Juushiro's third seats were rather rambunctious, and she honestly didn't know how he managed to tolerate their antics. She draped her coat over the back of a chair and asked, "Do you want help cooking?"

"Sure," Juushiro responded easily. "I'm making onigiri with salmon; if you want to prepare the fish that'd be great."

She began rummaging through his cupboards for the utensils, and nearly ran into Shunsui when he reached for the sake bottle. "Taicho, this would be much easier if you found somewhere else to stand," she pointed out.

He pouted. "My Nanao-chan doesn't love me. Say, why are you still in uniform?" Both captains had traded their uniforms for less formal clothes, though Shunsui retained his ever-present pink kimono.

She shrugged. "No time to change. That last mission report took a bit longer than I'd expected." She nudged him aside to get to a frying pan, and sighed ruefully. "The newest batch of recruits is going to be a handful."

"Do tell," Juushiro suggested interestedly.

Throughout dinner, they traded stories of their divisions' latest shenanigans, ranging from painting the barracks pink to getting into drunken arguments with members of the eleventh. While it was often the eighth division recruits who ended up with the most outrageous pranks, the thirteenth got into its share of trouble. This week, several of Juushiro's unseated officers had set up a very successful photography business, until his fourth seat discovered that most of the profits came from pictures that the subjects would really prefer to keep to themselves. Those particular shinigami had been suspended and forced to complete an ethics course before being allowed to return to the squad. By comparison, the sparkly graffiti on the wall of the sixth division's headquarters was positively mundane.

The trio retired to the porch after eating to enjoy the lovely spring evening. Nanao sat cross-legged, leaning against the wall, while Shunsui and Juushiro lay back against pillows, holding hands and watching the stars emerge. When Nanao shivered, Shunsui draped his pink kimono over her, ignoring her protests. "I can't let my sweet Nanao-chan catch a cold," he informed her cheerfully. "You could always come cuddle," he suggested, wiggling his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"I'll stick with the kimono," she replied, laughing at his downcast expression.

"Juu-chan, my Nanao-chan doesn't want to be near me," he whined. "Maybe you should ask her to come over, she'd listen to you I bet." He looked at her with wide, pleading eyes. "Would you come cuddle if Juushiro asked you?"

She rolled her eyes. "I am not cuddling, as you put it, with either of you."

"You are no fun at all," Shunsui complained. Juushiro hid a smile when Shunsui looked at him accusingly.

"It's not my fault!" he protested, amused.

"You didn't ask her to come over," Shunsui pointed out with complete accuracy and a total lack of logic. "Say, Nanao, did I ever tell you the story of when we put on a school play, and Juushiro was cast as the princess?"

The white-haired captain sat up and smacked Shunsui in the chest. "You can't tell her that!"

Shunsui ignored his lover as he lifted himself onto an elbow. "You see, there weren't very many girls in our class at the Academy. And none of them wanted to go on stage. But we were doing a classic fairy tale. You need the lovely damsel in distress, held captive in the tower guarded by a dragon, to make the story work."

Juushiro groaned and shoved Shunsui's shoulder. "Stop it!"

Undeterred, Shunsui continued, "We considered using a puppet, or somehow convincing one of the two girls in our class to play the princess, but neither idea seemed likely to work."

Juushiro rolled his eyes. "And of course you had to suggest that I take the part. I still think you were trying to get revenge for all those days I woke you up to attend class."

"Maybe I just wanted to see you in a dress," Shunsui teased. "Anyway, Juu-chan finally agreed, and guess who got to play the handsome prince?"

Nanao snickered. "I don't know, you don't seem like you fit the type."

"Aww, I'm hurt," the flamboyant captain moaned. "I'll have you know I made a wonderful prince. All the girls loved it."

"Still don't see it," Nanao teased.

"The number of girls he brought back to our dorm room did increase after we performed," Juushiro allowed.

"Thank you, Juu-chan!" Shunsui grinned at him mischievously. "You got your own share of attention afterwards too, you know."

"Yeah, from guys who thought I was a girl!" Juushiro spluttered.

Nanao laughed. "I would have liked to see that! Though I'm not sure how anyone could make that mistake." The pale captain may have been slender, but he was definitely male.

"The stage wasn't that well-lit, and my Juu-chan looks very fetching in a dress," Shunsui explained. "We even used a bit of kido to fill out the bust."

"Alright, sorry Juushiro-san," Nanao chuckled, "but that actually makes sense!"

Juushiro glared at Shunsui. "You know I have plenty of tales of your escapades during school, right? And most of yours are far more entertaining. Like that time in Yamamoto-sensei's office when you"

Shunsui cut him off with a kiss. "I'm sure Nanao-chan doesn't want to hear that."

"Later," Nanao mouthed when Shunsui's back was turned. Juushiro gave her a conspiratorial wink, and returned his partner's kiss affectionately.

A comfortable silence fell as the three watched the moon rising over the horizon. Shunsui sighed, enjoying the warmth of Juushiro's chest under his head. It had been a while since he'd recalled that particular incident, though it never failed to bring a smile to his face. Things had been so different back then, though. For one thing, they hadn't particularly liked one another…

"No. Kyoraku, I need to study. I'm not leaving just so your newest girlfriend can be more comfortable," Juushiro said firmly. He returned his attention to the hefty book in front of him, jotting down another note in his notebook.

"Aww, come on!" Shunsui pleaded. "She's incredibly hot, and you wouldn't believe what she can do with her tongue."

"I don't want to know," Juushiro said tiredly. "Midterm exams are less than a week away, and I actually care about my grades. Unlike you."

"You need to get laid," Shunsui returned. "Maybe Mari has a sister who'd be interested, I could ask her."

"No."

"Ooh, maybe she's got a couple of hot girlfriends! We could make this a real party!"

"Kyoraku, go away," Juushiro sighed.

Shunsui rolled his eyes. "You're so uptight. I bet you've never even kissed a girl."

Juushiro's grip tightened on his pen. "That's none of your business," he snarled.

"Knew it!" Shunsui crowed. "That's got to be fixed. I bet I can convince Mari to do it, she's pretty kinky once she gets into it. Last night she…" Juushiro threw a book at his head. "Oww! Fine, be a virgin your whole life." He stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him, and Juushiro heaved a sigh of relief.

He didn't see his roommate again until the next morning, when Shunsui stumbled in reeking of sake and covered in lipstick smears and hickeys. "You missed an amazing party," Shunsui slurred, still a little drunk. "Turns out Mari's friend can give the best lap dances I've ever seen." He started to describe them in more detail, and Juushiro calmly closed his book, walking out without a word. Shunsui looked after him in puzzlement. "What's wrong?" Juushiro threw him a scathing glance, and closed the door a little harder than necessary. Shunsui winced. "You know, you're cute when you're embarrassed," he yelled.

Despite Juushiro's dire predictions, Shunsui passed his midterm exams. Admittedly, some of them were a hair away from being a failing grade, but that wasn't something he told his roommate. It was still something to celebrate. So he was too hungover to pay attention when Yamamoto-sensei announced that their class would be performing a play in front of the whole school. "To teach you discipline and teamwork," the old man explained. "Rehearsals will be held three times a week, and all students are expected to participate."

"Big waste of time," Shunsui grumbled under his breath.

"Did you have something to say?" Yamamoto inquired sharply.

"No, sensei," Shunsui mumbled.

"Since you are so enthusiastic, I'll expect you to be the first one at rehearsal tomorrow," Yamamoto responded coldly. Shunsui nodded his head miserably, and Juushiro snickered under his breath.

To his surprise, the first rehearsal didn't start out too badly. The students were in charge of everything from set design to stage direction to casting, and the teachers basically left them alone after handing out the scripts. After a heated argument, he claimed the role of the dashing prince by promising to supply sake after each performance. "Girls love the handsome leading man," he confided to Juushiro while they waited for the rest of the roles to be assigned.

"You know you're going to have to memorize all those lines, right?" Juushiro replied coldly. He hadn't quite forgiven Shunsui for his drunken revelry after the exams.

Shunsui shrugged happily. "I'll still get all the ladies." Juushiro shook his head disapprovingly.

They waited in silence for a few minutes as their classmates divvied up the roles, until one of them exclaimed suddenly, "Wait, who's playing the princess?"

"Rei?" Shunsui suggested, eying the buxom blond. "She'd be perfect!"

The girl sniffed. "I'm already playing the evil witch."

"How about Mika-san?" Aono, a dark eyed boy with wicked kido skills, offered.

Mika shook her head calmly. "I volunteered to run the stage crew." They all looked around for a moment. If the only girls in their class refused, who was left?

"Juushiro could do it," Shunsui said wickedly, shooting a glance at the pale teen beside him.

Juushiro's cheeks went pink. "Absolutely not! Get one of your girlfriends to do it!"

"Now, you know Yamamoto-sensei wouldn't allow that. Besides, you don't have a part yet. You'd be perfect."

Juushiro shook his head, glaring at his impudent roommate. "I am not dressing up like a princess on stage. Besides, I was going to do the special effects."

Shunsui waved a hand airily. "You can still do that. The princess spends most of her time locked in the tower anyway, it's not like it's difficult acting. Or are you not good enough at kido to do both?" he challenged.

"Fine," Juushiro spat when he saw all of his classmates looking at him pleadingly. "But you owe me."

Shunsui grinned victoriously. "You'll make a charming princess!" He patted Juushiro on the ass, only to double over as Juushiro's elbow caught him squarely in the throat.

"Don't ever do that again," the white-haired teen warned coldly. Shunsui clutched his abused neck and gasped for breath, unable to respond. _I may have deserved that_ , he admitted to himself, _but Ukitake does have a nice butt_.

Weeks went by, and the play slowly came to life. Shunsui threw himself into the role with surprising fervor, finding himself actually enjoying rehearsal. Juushiro spent every minute of free time perfecting kido to create effects like fog, moonlight, or flame. By far the hardest to master was the fireball that the dragon was supposed to spit at the prince before he defeated it. The fire had to look realistic, but it couldn't actually burn anything. He'd singed Shunsui several times during rehearsal with the modified Shakkaho, but he considered that fair payback for his humiliation.

At last the day of the performance arrived. For the past several weeks, even Shunsui had shown the strain as they worked day and night to keep up with their classes while the play demanded all of their attention. To Juushiro's shock, he'd stopped partying the night away, returning to their room after the late rehearsals to complete his homework and wearily tumble into bed alone. The two had come to a much more amicable relationship as a consequence.

The first half went off without a hitch; even the fog kido to create the illusion of a swamp looked relatively realistic. Seeing as it had nearly flooded the stage during the dress rehearsal, relatively realistic was a dramatic step up. During the intermission, Shunsui strolled up to Juushiro, grinning broadly. "The audience is lapping it up," he declared.

Juushiro smiled back. "I'm glad."

Shunsui looked him over curiously. "Where's your costume? You're on in the second act, you know." Juushiro sighed. This was the part he'd been dreading. While he'd tried on the dress for fittings, he'd flatly refused to wear it during practice. Shunsui saw the sour look on his face and chuckled. "It can't be that bad. Go on, go put it on!"

Juushiro scowled, but he knew he'd need to get dressed sooner or later. He vanished into the dressing rooms, reemerging several minutes later with a frustrated expression. The pale teen wore a red velvet gown with a long, flowing skirt that swirled around his legs, decorated with golden embroidery. His long white hair, loosened from its usual ponytail, trailed down his back like a silver waterfall. Shunsui whistled approvingly. "You make a gorgeous girl!"

Juushiro blushed, glaring at him. "Help me with this," he snapped, holding out a steel-boned corset. "You've slept with enough girls, you should know how their clothing works."

Shunsui laughed, taking the corset and spinning Juushiro around so his back was to the brown-haired teen. "It helps to have someone lace it up for you," he explained, deftly threading the ribbons through the holes. He pulled hard on the laces, making Juushiro gasp.

"How'd you learn to do that?" he asked when he could breathe again.

"One of my girlfriends was really into corsets," he explained as he tightened the corset further. "She always made me help her get dressed when we went out anywhere." Juushiro panted, and Shunsui added, "Take shallow breaths. It'll help."

"Or you could loosen it," Juushiro suggested hopefully.

Shunsui patted his shoulder. "Nope! You've got to have the proper feminine figure for our big scene." He spun Juushiro to face him and smirked. "Just like that. Though the chest needs work." The dress had a high neckline, but it couldn't completely conceal Juushiro's lack of breasts.

The pale teen blushed, muttering, "I think I have a way to fix it." He whispered a few words, and the fabric slowly expanded.

Shunsui poked it, fascinated. "What'd you do?"

"Modified Sho to provide a low-power, continuous push instead of a sharp shove," Juushiro explained matter-of-factly. "And stop touching me."

Instead, Shunsui slung an arm over his shoulders. "Aww, but we make the perfect couple! Just look at the outfits!" Juushiro had to admit that the costume team had done a good job. Shunsui wore tight calfskin breeches, knee-high black boots, and an embroidered surcoat in a chocolate color. The shade blended nicely with the crimson adorning Juushiro. But he wasn't about to admit that. He twisted away from Shunsui's arm, making his roommate pout. "You can't deny we look good together," Shunsui argued confidently.

Juushiro folded his arms and glared. "Yes, I can." Shunsui just laughed. He reached out and brushed a strand of hair out of Juushiro's face, tucking it behind his ear. Juushiro bore the touch with an exasperated eyeroll.

"Showtime!" The call came from Mika, who was monitoring the set change with a meticulous eye. They hurried to their places; Shunsui to the front of the stage and Juushiro to the wings. Miraculously, the second half went as smoothly as the first. The hero fought his way through the wall of thorns, navigated the maze, and defeated the fire-breathing dragon with little more than singed eyebrows. The stage went black, with a spotlight on Shunsui for his monologue, while Juushiro helped Mika drag out the final set. He felt his stomach clench with nerves, though he only had a few lines to remember. This was not going to be fun.

When the lights came back up, Shunsui was facing a gray stone tower. Juushiro sat at the top, trying to conceal his lack of oxygen, and waved down to Shunsui. "Oh brave prince, are you here to rescue me?" he called in a high-pitched voice.

"I am, my darling!" Shunsui exclaimed dramatically. "And we will live happily ever after!" It was drivel from start to finish, but the audience loved it if the applause was a good indication. Shunsui pretended to scale the tower, using shunpo to support his weight - they'd discovered that trick after the first tower collapsed on top of him. "My fair lady, let me take you away from this place!" he cried.

"Of course, my prince," Juushiro responded, trying not to grin. At the point, Shunsui was supposed to sweep him off his feet and flash step offstage, allowing the curtains to fall. The first part happened according to plan, but instead of carrying Juushiro offstage, Shunsui dropped lightly to the floor beneath the tower. "What are you doing?" Juushiro hissed.

Shunsui set him on his feet but kept a firm grasp around his waist. "My lady, I beg a kiss from your fair lips," he declared. Juushiro's eyes widened. He wouldn't dare.

Shunsui knew he was taking his life in his hands as he bent Juushiro backwards into a dramatic stage kiss position. When Juushiro didn't immediately punch him, he tentatively brushed his lips against his roommate's mouth. Juushiro's lips were soft and warm against his. Shunsui pulled back quickly, and swept Juushiro into his arms once again. This time, he shunpoed offstage like he was supposed to, and the curtains fell.

"What the hell was that?" Juushiro snarled as soon as they landed in the wings.

Shunsui shrugged nonchalantly. "Just a bit of improvisation. Plus I thought it was sad you'd never been kissed."

"That was not my first kiss," the pale student informed him frostily. "You are dead!"

Shunsui ignored the threat, seizing Juushiro's hand. "Come on, curtain call!" He practically hauled his roommate out onto the stage, raising their clasped hands high. As they bowed, the audience started chanting, "Kiss her! Kiss her!" Shunsui grinned, turning to Juushiro. "Can't disappoint the audience," he pointed out cheerfully.

"I am going to murder you in your sleep," Juushiro fumed as Shunsui bent him backwards again. But his eyes fluttered closed as the flamboyant teen slanted his mouth over Juushiro's, kissing him skillfully. Shunsui deepened the kiss just a little before pulling back and grinning at the flustered teen.

"You taste like candy," he whispered, making Juushiro flush.

"I. Am. Going. To. Kill. You," Juushiro snarled back just as quietly.


	3. First Contact

**Author's Note:**

insertLegalNotice("Do not own Bleach");

Back to the main plot!

* * *

 **Chapter 3: First Contact  
**

Shunsui smiled to himself, pulling his lover in closer. Juushiro had done a pretty good job trying to murder him during practice the next few days, going so far as to blast him through a wall with an experimental combination of Shakkaho and Sho. But their relationship had changed for the better after that. _Though neither of us expected to end up like this_ , he thought happily, nuzzling Juushiro's neck. _The only thing better would be if my Nanao-chan would join us. Ah well, I'll get her to relax eventually!_

He was broken from his musings by a soft tickle on the back of his hand. He looked down to see the dark wings of a hell butterfly fluttering to a halt. Two more butterflies landed on Nanao and Juushiro. The three soul reapers froze as the butterflies spoke over each other, jumbling the words together.

"Ukitake Taicho, you..."

"...summoned to..."

"...report immediately to the..."

"...retrieve your captain..."

"...awaiting your presence."

They looked at each other. "Fourth division," Nanao said tersely. "Let's go."

They touched down in time to hear Ikkaku snarling, "I'm fine! Get off me! Where's Yumichika?" A crash echoed through the halls, and dust billowed out of a window.

"Third seat Madarame, I'd appreciate it if you didn't brutalize my squad members," Captain Unohana requested pleasantly. Her tone did nothing to hide the core of steel underneath her words.

"She's got her scary voice on," Shunsui shuddered. "No one make any sudden moves." He strode towards the infirmary door, followed by Juushiro and Nanao.

Unohana had a vice-like grip on Ikkaku's wrist, and was guiding him to a chair. "You are severely drained, and in no condition to do anything. Please sit still until we can take a look at you. Fifth seat Ayasegawa will be fine if you give him time to recover."

Ikkaku growled, but allowed her to press him down into his seat. "He'd better be. I should have been the one to get hurt, not him." Apparently having a massive gash down his chest was not sufficient injury to him. His face was white with blood loss, and his uniform in tatters. Though his words were fierce, he swayed in his chair, a hair away from passing out. His reiatsu sparked weakly around him, the pressure almost nonexistent.

"What's going on?" Juushiro asked worriedly.

Unohana gave them a tired smile. "The results of their scouting mission." She led them into an adjoining room, where Yumichika lay unconscious on a bed. His hair was matted and tangled, and the feathers above his eye crumpled. Blood smears covered his bare chest, though his wounds seemed minor compared to Ikkaku's. The scariest thing, though, was his complete lack of spirit energy. "As you can sense, he was drained nearly to death," she continued quietly. Her professional smile dropped away. "Kurotsuchi Taicho was able to capture a video of the combat; he's fetching a projector now. I can tell you this much: if not for Madarame-san's high level of reiatsu and Ayasegawa-san's unusual shikai, neither would be alive at this moment."

"So why are we here, instead of at a captain's meeting?" Nanao inquired.

Unohana shook her head. "I'll let the Soutaicho explain that."

She bowed her head, and Juushiro moved behind her to rub her shoulders. "You need to rest more," he murmured. "You're nearly as worn-out as your patients at this point."

"It took a lot to heal Ayasegawa-san," she admitted. "It almost felt like there was something fighting me." She allowed Juushiro to massage her for a little while longer before sighing. "Let's bring this discussion to my office. Kurotsuchi Taicho should be back with the projector by now, and I'm sure the Soutaicho is getting impatient."

"Old man Yama can wait," Shunsui replied lightly. "It's good for him." Despite his words, he led the way out of the room, casting one last glance at the battered shinigami lying on the bed. There was no way he was letting his Nanao-chan anywhere near the thing that caused that.

When they arrived at Unohana's office, they found Kurotsuchi pacing irritably. "What took you so long? I've got valuable data I need to process."

"Patience," Unohana replied, her serene mask back in place. "Treating the wounded takes time."

"If they can't survive on their own, they're clearly not very useful," Kurotsuchi muttered under his breath. "I didn't even get to dissect their corpses."

Yamamoto strode into the room as he finished his sentence. "Proceed with your video," the head captain ordered coldly. "Remember, captain, that shinigami are not your research subjects."

"Very well," the painted captain sneered. "Here is the video I managed to extract from the remains of the very delicate equipment I sent to the world of the living."

Before he could start the show, Shunsui interrupted, "Yama-jii, why are we here? Shouldn't all the captains see this?"

"All in due time," the old man responded. He nodded to Kurotsuchi, who hit a button on his projector. A grainy image burst into life on the wall behind Unohana's desk, depicting Ikkaku and Yumichika strolling along a deserted street. Rundown buildings lined the sidewalks, and pieces of trash littered the gutters. A street light flickered weakly, dousing the area with pale light before giving up in a shower of sparks. The two shinigami detoured around a man slumped against a brick wall, clutching a bottle loosely in his fist, and continued on.

"I'm afraid there's no sound," Kurotsuchi explained, not sounding too apologetic.

Something made the two men stop in their tracks, looking down at a gadget that vaguely resembled a compass. Yumichika said something, and Ikkaku nodded. The video blurred, crackling with static. When it cleared, they saw Ikkaku squared off with a tall, grotesquely thin creature armored in white plates. Vaguely humanoid in shape, its arms dangled past its knees and its neck sunk forward like a vulture. A blank white mask, lacking even slits for the eyes, covered its entire face. Spurs jutted out of its ankle bones, and rough scythes curved backwards over its forearms.

"What is that thing?" Juushiro gasped.

"We don't know," Kurotsuchi replied. "But it's very powerful."

That much was obvious as Ikkaku sprang at the beast, only to have it whip around and slash at him as he flew past. He straightened, yelling the release command for his zanpakuto. The katana extended into a segmented spear as Ikkaku charged again. He thrust the spear under the creature's rib cage and heaved upwards, effectively impaling it. Grinning triumphantly, he took his attention off his opponent for a brief second. But the fight was far from over. The monster forced himself further onto the spear and swung out with those abnormally long arms, catching Ikkaku by surprise. He jerked backwards, but the blow raked down his chest, opening a massive gash. The monster raised its claws, smearing Ikkaku's blood over its own torso, and slashed again. Ikkaku yanked his spear from its body as he flashed backwards, resuming a fighting stance despite the blood pouring down his side. He yelled some taunt as the monster lumbered forwards, but it didn't attack immediately. Instead, it stared down at the puddle of blood in the dirt, dragging its fingers through the sticky substance like a child finger-painting.

Ikkaku looked confused, then angry. He began to lunge towards it, only to falter and blanch. "I believe that's when the monster began absorbing his reiatsu," Kurotsuchi stated. The creature flattened its palm over the crimson stain, ignoring Ikkaku's blows. Though the third seat landed several strikes that would have killed any normal being, the thing remained unfazed. Each wound closed as soon as it was inflicted. Ikkaku swayed on his feet, dropping to one knee. The monster backhanded him casually, sending him flying into a wall. He slid into a crumpled heap and didn't move again.

Without any warning, the thing launched itself at Yumichika, who had been watching the fight expressionlessly. He hastily ran his hand over his blade, splitting it into four curved scythes, and attacked. None of his blows had the slightest effect, however. And Ikkaku still lay deathly still.

Ordinarily, that wouldn't have affected Yumichika's fighting in the slightest. Though the two eleventh division members had been a couple for decades, they were accustomed to seeing each other in deadly situations. But Yumichika's occasional worried glances over at his partner proved that this time was different.

"If my readings are correct, Madarame was being steadily drained throughout this fight," Kurotsuchi said dispassionately. "By this point, he should have had very little spirit energy left." No wonder Yumichika was worried.

The haughty fifth seat didn't look quite so beautiful now, with sweat dripping down his face and several cuts on his arms. Wary of closing with the creature, he'd avoided major injuries, but the thing appeared inexhaustible. In fact, it seemed to be growing stronger as the fight went on. At last, Yumichika darted in a little too close in an attempt to rip out the monster's throat. It seized him in bony hands and lifted him up effortlessly. He writhed in its grip fruitlessly, still clutching his zanpakuto. It cocked its head to one side, somehow regarding him despite its lack of visible eyes. Yumichika kicked it in the face, and it didn't even flinch. Blood welled up under its fingers, dripping slowly to the dirt. Yumichika's eyes widened and his face grew pale. His frantic struggles weakened as energy drained from his body.

At last, he cast a despairing glance at Ikkaku, and mouthed two words. Glowing emerald tendrils erupted from his sword, scintillating with hints of azure and amethyst. They snaked around the monster, pinning its arms to its sides. Its grip loosened, and Yumichika slid to the ground. On his knees, he lifted his zanpakuto, and the vines tightened. Small buds began to form and swell, glowing with the same eerie light as the vines. The bone armor covering the monster started to crack, and Yumichika grinned viciously. As it crumbled, the blossoms opened, slowly revealing pale petals.

The monster fell to its knees. The mask hiding its face disintegrated, quickly followed by the rest of the armor. Without it, the thing looked much more human, though emaciated and withered. The vines shone hotly as it slumped forwards, landing on its face in the dirt. Dust plumed outwards; when it cleared, nothing remained but a pile of bone fragments and petals.

Yumichika caught one of the flowers as it drifted downwards. Wearily dragging himself over to Ikkaku, he forced the petal into his lover's mouth. The blossom evaporated into motes of light, and Yumichika toppled over. Ikkaku opened bleary eyes just in time to see the slender soul reaper collapse on top of him.

"So that's Ayasegawa's true shikai," Shunsui commented. "Interesting. I'm not surprised he doesn't use it much, in a division like the eleventh."

"I'd love to get my hands on him and run some tests," Kurotsuchi muttered. "I'm so glad I had one of my drones follow them with video capturing equipment; this is much more valuable data."

Nanao frowned. Something about his phrasing made her suspicious. "Did they know you were videotaping them?" she inquired coldly.

"Ah, well, not precisely," Kurotsuchi answered. "But I could hardly expect to get accurate data if they knew they were being watched." It was typical reasoning for the psychopathic twelfth division captain.

"That is highly unethical," she retorted.

Yamamoto banged his walking stick on the floor. "That is not the issue at hand. Unohana Taicho, how are your patients?"

The lovely healer nodded respectfully. "Both will make a full recovery, though Ayasegawa-san will need to spend several days under our care to regain his reiatsu."

"Good." Yamamoto turned to face Shunsui, Juushiro, and Nanao. "It is clear that this threat will require captain-class combatants to counter. Your assignment is to investigate these creatures and discover the source of their power. Destroy any that you encounter; they cannot be allowed to roam the streets."

Shunsui immediately looked mutinous. "Who'll run our divisions while we're gone? My Nanao-chan should stay here and ensure that they don't fall into chaos."

Yamamoto frowned at him. "I want her with you. She's a kido master, and her skills will certainly be useful for your task."

"So's Juushiro," Shunsui argued.

"This is my decision," Yamamoto growled. "You leave first thing tomorrow morning."

Before Shunsui could press the issue, Juushiro interjected calmingly, "How will we accomplish this task?"

The door slid open. "I think I can help with that."

"Kisuke. Making a dramatic entrance as always," Kurotsuchi sneered. The self-proclaimed humble shopkeeper stepped though the doorway, fluttering his fan in front of his face. His green-striped bucket hat shaded his eyes, making it hard to tell what he was thinking. He wore his usual dark green coat and wooden sandals.

"Mayuri. It's been a while, hasn't it?" Kisuke said playfully. "Still mad that they asked for my help during the Winter War?" The painted captain bared his teeth.

"Gentlemen, if you'd all like to sit down?" Unohana offered, gesturing to the low couches lining her office. "Now that the presentation is over, there's no reason to remain standing." Reluctantly, Kurotsuchi sat, never taking his eyes off of his former captain. Urahara dropped gracefully into a chair, ignoring the tension. The others sat as well, though Yamamoto remained standing.

"So, you're going to the world of the living," Urahara drawled. "You'll need gigais, of course, and I've got the latest models ready for use. They even allow you full control over your spirit energy without needing to leave the body."

Juushiro nodded politely. "Will we be using your shop as a base of operation?"

"Oh, if you want to, I suppose," Urahara laughed. "It's just a humble shop, you know, but your presence is always welcome."

Nanao eyed the former captain critically. While she'd worked with him during the Winter War to set up the protections around Karakura Town, she didn't fully trust the enigmatic man. He enjoyed playing games a little too much for her peace of mind. There was no doubt, however, that he was truly brilliant. "Urahara-san, do you have any more information on these creatures?" she asked quietly.

He tilted his hat even lower over his face. "Not much, I'm afraid. I should have a prototype tracker developed by the time you arrive tomorrow morning, however. Their spiritual pressure is quite unique."

Kurotsuchi scoffed at him. "I've already developed such a tracker, as you'd know if you were paying attention."

Urahara favored him with a wide smile. "Ah, but it's not a very good one now, is it? My scanners picked up traces of the distorted reiatsu a full twenty minutes before your little compass alerted those soul reapers."

"Your scanners are nothing more than stolen technology," Kurotsuchi jeered.

Yamamoto banged his staff on the ground. "Enough bickering! I expect you two to share any information you discover without hesitation. These creatures may pose a grave threat, and we know nothing about them."

Urahara fanned himself, smiling. "Next to nothing, Soutaicho. We do possess several important facts." He looked around the room, waiting for someone to ask him what he meant.

Juushiro obliged him. "What would those be?"

The former captain folded his fan with a snap and used it to mark off his points in midair. "One, they do not come from Hueco Mundo or the Soul Society. There was no sign of either a garganta or a senkaimon in use anywhere nearby. Two, they possess the ability to drain reiatsu. They appear to need physical contact to do so, as neither Ayasegawa or Madarame were drained on sight. And finally, their regenerative capabilities are equal to those of the strongest vasto lordes."

Nanao bit her lip. "Wait, what do you mean, they don't come from Hueco Mundo? Where are they from, then?"

Urahara shrugged. "That's the million-dollar question!"

"Are you sure you're not simply missing the signs of a garganta?" Kurotsuchi asked snidely.

"You're welcome to investigate yourself," Urahara offered. "Do let me know when you come up empty-handed."

Yamamoto interrupted before the argument could get out of hand. "You two are worse than children! There is no more that can be resolved tonight, and this foolish squabbling does nothing but annoy me." He turned his gaze on the trio sitting patiently on the couch. "Sasakibe Fukutaicho will manage your divisions; I expect your seated officers to cooperate with him fully." Juushiro bowed his head in acquiescence, but Shunsui just waved a hand.

"Yama-jii, can I talk to you?" he inquired nonchalantly.

The head captain glared at him. "There is nothing more that needs to be discussed. But I can see you are determined to talk, so I will give you a minute to do so."

Shunsui looked over at Juushiro and Nanao. "I'll see you back at home?" he asked Juushiro softly. The white-haired captain nodded. "Nanao-chan? Will you return with Juushiro?"

"I really should be getting back to my apartment," she protested. He gave her puppy-dog eyes, but they lacked his usual humorous spark. She sighed. "Alright, I'll be there."

The meeting broke up quickly after that as they all went their respective ways. Nanao followed Juushiro back to his home, doing her best to reign in her temper. She knew exactly what her captain was trying to do, and she refused to be sidelined again. She said as much when they landed on Juushiro's front porch, practically snarling her frustration.

Juushiro sighed. "I know how you feel. It's not fair, and it's a waste of your talents." He led her inside, and they settled down to wait for Shunsui's return.

"I'm not a child anymore," Nanao fumed, unable to sit still. "He can't protect me from everything."

"He knows you're not a child," Juushiro soothed.

She glared at him. "So why does he treat me like one?"

The pale captain leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "Shunsui has always felt a strong desire to protect those he cares for. The stronger he feels, the harder he fights to keep them safe. He may be a bit overbearing at times, but he means well."

Nanao rolled her eyes. "A bit overbearing? If he got his way, I'd do nothing but paperwork for the rest of my career." She stood up and started pacing, hands clenched around her fan. "I'm better at kido than him, and he knows it. I can take care of myself!"

Juushiro watched her pace with worried eyes. "He's terrified he'll lose you the way he lost Lisa-san."

Nanao sighed, dropping down to sit next to the captain. "I know. And that's why I haven't yelled at him for it. But damn it, I'm a soul reaper!" She looked at her hands, and added softly, "I don't need protection."

"I know. And he knows too, intellectually. It's just, emotionally?" Juushiro shrugged. "He's never been good at listening to reason when his emotions are involved." He laid a hand on her shoulder. "Turn around, you're so tense you'll hurt yourself." She complied, and he dug his fingers into the muscles of her shoulders.

She hissed quietly as he hit a knot. "You have talented hands."

Juushiro chuckled. "Thank you. So what are you going to do?"

"Go with you two, of course," Nanao replied firmly. "He's not leaving me behind again. Just look what happened last time."

Juushiro flinched. The final battle of the Winter War still haunted his nightmares on occasion. His hands slowed, and Nanao gave him an apologetic look. "You know, he tried to protect me too, during that battle," Juushiro said softly. "You're not the only one he tries to protect."

Nanao sighed. "I know, but he doesn't try to forbid you to fight. He still sees me as the little kid who read books with Lisa-san."

"So prove to him you've grown up," Juushiro suggested.

"How?" Nanao demanded. Juushiro shook his head, unable to answer. She sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "I've tried, but he still doesn't want me anywhere near a serious opponent."

"Maybe this mission will help," the white-haired captain offered.

"If he lets me go," she said sourly. "You know he's trying to convince the Soutaicho to keep me behind again." She felt the pulse of Shunsui's reiatsu rapidly drawing closer, and rose to her feet. "I guess we'll see now, won't we?"

The turmoil in the laid-back captain's energy was evident as he materialized in front of them, pink kimono flying. He immediately enfolded Nanao in a hug, holding her tightly. "You are not allowed to get hurt, understand?" he ordered. Clearly he'd failed to persuade Yamamoto to leave her behind.

She pulled herself free and stepped backwards, regarding him impassively. "Sir, I'm a lieutenant of the Gotei 13. I'm fully capable of defending myself." She hid a smile of victory as she stared at her captain with her arms crossed.

Shunsui hung his head, unusually serious. "I know," he muttered. "But you're still not allowed to get hurt!"

She rolled her eyes. "I will see you two tomorrow morning, then." Before Shunsui could say anything else, she stepped into shunpo and flashed away.

Shunsui turned to Juushiro with a frustrated expression. "Juu, what do I do?"

"Let her fight," Juushiro responded firmly. "You've coddled her for far too long, and you'd realize that if you thought about it rationally. She's your lieutenant, not your secretary."

"Easy for you to say," Shunsui grumbled.

Juushiro gave him a stern look. "She's a kido master. In a few decades, she may very well be better than I am. Even now she's just as good."

Shunsui stared at him in shock. "Truly? I knew she was good, but that good?" The pale captain nodded, and Shunsui shook his head. "How did I not realize that?"

"Because, despite all your flirting, part of you still sees her as a little girl," Juushiro pointed out.

The flamboyant captain spluttered. "I do not! That'd just be creepy!"

Juushiro rolled his eyes. "Not like that. I mean you still want to protect her, the same way you did when she was little. She's grown up, Shunsui. She doesn't need that anymore."

"Let's just go to bed," he grumbled in response. "You know she'll be here bright and early tomorrow."

Juushiro let his lover lead the way to the bedroom, but couldn't resist saying, "You can't run away from the issue forever." Shunsui threw a pillow at him in retaliation.


	4. Planning? Who Does That?

**Author's Note:**

/* Hey look, I can put Java comments in here so long as they look like this! */

Thank you for the reviews so far! For those of you who want Nanao to end up in a relationship, be patient. I promise there will be relationship development occurring, but it's going to be fairly slow, so stay tuned!

Let's see how our protagonists do in the world of the living...

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Planning? Who Does That?  
**

The next day dawned cold and foggy, with thin sunshine filtering through the gray clouds. It was the perfect kind of day to sleep in and enjoy a hot drink by the fire. _Unfortunately_ , Shunsui thought as he pried open his eyes, _neither my lover nor my lieutenant are likely to permit that_. "Please, Juu-chan, just five more minutes?" he begged when his partner shook his shoulder.

Juushiro smiled at him fondly. "Fine, you can stay in bed for five more minutes," he allowed.

"Good," Shunsui mumbled. He tugged the pale shinigami back down and threw a leg over him, wrapping himself around his lover like a ferret.

Juushiro chuckled under his breath, tangling his hands in messy brown hair. "Just five minutes though," he warned. A muffled snore was his only reply.

When Nanao arrived at the house twenty minutes later, Juushiro bolted upright. "Shunsui, get up!" he hissed, wriggling out from under his lover's arm. "Nanao is going to kill us!"

"Huh? Wha?" Shunsui responded intelligently. "Go 'way, it's too early."

Juushiro shook his head in exasperation, hurriedly pulling on his uniform. He slung his captain's haori over his shoulders just as Nanao tapped on the bedroom door. "Taicho? It's time to go," she announced.

"Pretty Nanao-san should come join her taicho," Shunsui mumbled.

Juushiro opened the door and quickly stepped into the hallway, out of Nanao's firing range. "I'm sorry, I meant to wake him up earlier," he apologized, running his fingers through his long hair. He offered her a sheepish smile. "Want anything to eat or drink? I'll start a pot of tea brewing."

"Tea would be lovely," she replied politely. Juushiro vanished into the kitchen, and she turned back to her sleepy captain. "Sir, if you aren't up and dressed in two minutes, I promise you'll regret it," she informed him calmly.

Shunsui rolled over, pulling the blankets off of his upper torso. "My Nanao-chan could help me get dressed?" he suggested.

Kido fire flared to life around her hands. "Sir, it is far too early in the morning to deal with this."

"Cruel Nanao-chan," Shunsui complained.

The fire sparked higher, and Juushiro called, "Try not to damage anything valuable!"

"Alright, alright, I'm going!" Shunsui said hastily. Nanao shut the door and rejoined Juushiro in the kitchen. They were sipping on freshly-brewed tea when Shunsui joined them, rubbing his eyes. His hair stuck up every which way, and his uniform was rumpled, but that was practically well-dressed for him. Juushiro passed him a teacup with a soft smile.

A half hour later, the three stepped out of the senkaimon to be greeted by Urahara's cheery face. Yoruichi lounged near him in her signature orange top and leggings. "I hope you don't mind that I've invited a few more people to join our little discussion," Urahara said casually as he gestured them into the shoten. "They've got a bit of an interest in this too, after all."

"How could anyone object to such a beautiful lady?" Shunsui responded gallantly as he caught a glimpse of who was waiting for them.

"You haven't changed one bit," the dark-haired vizard woman retorted. "It's good to see you too, Shunsui."

Nanao stepped into the shop and stopped dead, feeling like her heart was about to explode. "Hello, Lisa-san," she croaked.

Lisa looked startled. "What? No way. Little Nanao?" She looked the slender fukutaicho up and down critically. "Damn, girl, you're all grown up!" She enveloped Nanao in a crushing hug, and Nanao couldn't find the will to resist. It was one thing to know that her former mentor had survived; quite another to see her in person. Not even catching sight of her on the surveillance videos the twelfth had set up for the Winter War had prepared her for this. Lisa stepped backwards, keeping her hands on Nanao's upper arms. "So you're his lieutenant now? He'd better have been treating you right."

"Of course I am," Shunsui said indignantly.

Lisa gave him a withering glance, letting go of Nanao. "Sure you are. I hope she keeps you on your toes."

Juushiro laughed. "She certainly does that! It's good to see you again, Lisa-san."

She grinned. "You're looking much better than the last time I saw you."

"Considering the last time you saw me I was bleeding out in the rubble, I'd hope so," Juushiro responded warmly.

A new voice joined the conversation as a blond vizard walked out of the inner room. "This is all very touching, but we do have a problem to discuss," Shinji drawled, smiling his disturbing grin.

"Yes, yes, you're right," Urahara agreed. "Please, make yourselves comfortable. Tea? Coffee?" He passed out drinks as they settled onto cushions around the low table.

"So what do you two know about these weird monsters?" Shunsui asked the two vizards once everyone had been served. "And where's the rest of the gang?"

Shinji waved a hand. "Off doing their own thing. As for the monsters, we don't know much more than you. We've felt their reiatsu, obviously, but hadn't caught a glimpse of them until yesterday." He frowned. "It's strange. They're nothing like anything we've seen before, and they're certainly not hollows, but at the same time they feel kinda like hollows, you know?"

"Unlike hollows, however, they're deadly," Yoruichi supplied. "Not even an arrancar heals as quickly or thoroughly as they can, by the looks of it."

Lisa grimaced. "Another one appeared a few hours after those two soul reapers got their asses kicked. At the time, we didn't know how powerful they were; Kisuke only showed us the video this morning. So Love and Rose went to investigate."

Urahara passed around several photos, depicting another misshapen monster covered in bone plates. "Thankfully, they didn't just dive in. Rose took these with his cell phone while it raged around."

Lisa took up the story again. "They called for backup when it picked up a car and threw it through a building without a pause. Shinji, Hiyori, and I headed over. Luckily, it was in a junkyard in a deserted area of town, so we didn't have to worry about civilian casualties. When we got there, it was wandering aimlessly, punching a hole through anything that got in its way."

Shinji took off his cap and twirled it around his fingers. "It almost looked like it was searching for something. Didn't seem too bright though."

"Anyway, as we watched, the plates on its back started to crack. Reiatsu bled through, just like when our masks start to fall apart, so we hung back. After a few minutes, it simply disintegrated," Lisa explained.

"So why didn't the one that Madarame and Ayasegawa fought fall apart in the same way?" Juushiro asked.

Urahara tilted his hat upwards. "My theory is that it was rejuvenated by Ikkaku's spirit energy, allowing it to continue fighting. If it had been denied a source of reiatsu, it would have eventually crumbled as well."

Juushiro frowned. "So these things don't have a way to produce their own reiatsu?"

"That's certainly how it appears," Urahara replied.

"So what, all we need to do is wait and they fall apart on their own? Doesn't seem like much of a problem to me," Shunsui said lightly.

Nanao rolled her eyes. "And if they happen to encounter a plus soul or hollow, or even a human? They'll feed and get stronger, and become an even bigger challenge to deal with." Shunsui looked abashed.

"So how do we deal with them?" Juushiro asked sensibly. "If they're basically immune to our attacks, and we can't risk feeding them, what can we do?"

Urahara fluttered his fan. "I'm so glad you asked! You see, I theorize that these things are being created. They don't come from another known dimension, and I'm sure I'd at least pick up traces of energy if there was a portal to an unknown plane being opened. So that means that they must come from the living world. And as they're clearly not native animals, they must be created somehow."

"But why?" Shunsui asked curiously.

"The more important question is how," Lisa replied before anyone could answer. "If we know that, we can stop it."

"And that's where I come in," Urahara put in, smiling. "I just need more data, and I'm sure I'll be able to come up with a theory. And you all are the perfect people to collect that data."

"Hold on," Shinji interrupted. "You didn't tell us this when you asked us to come over this morning."

Urahara dipped his head. "I didn't? Oops, must have slipped my mind." Shinji glared at him.

Lisa didn't look too pleased either. "How do you want us to collect this data of yours?" she demanded.

"Why, just bring me a few samples of the creatures once they're dead, plus samples of anything around them that looks important," Urahara responded nonchalantly. "A living specimen would be better, but hard to contain. I wouldn't want it to disintegrate in transport, after all, but we really don't want to feed them either."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Obviously. So what you're asking us to do is track down every one of these things, kill it, and bring its remains back to you?"

"You make it sound so unreasonable," Urahara complained. "I'll help, of course. But we really do need to track down all of them; if left unchecked they could wreak an immense amount of havoc."

"No kidding," Shunsui muttered.

"Well, if that's decided," Urahara said brightly, "I need to return to my lab. I'll have a tracker completed in under an hour. You all are welcome to remain here until it's done, though I must ask that you not interrupt my work."

Nanao frowned. "Wait a minute," she said firmly, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "What about tactics? We can't just treat this like an ordinary fight." She tensed as she felt the scrutiny of everyone in the room, all much more experienced than she was.

Support came from an unexpected corner. "She's right," Yoruichi announced. "What did you have in mind?"

Nanao leaned forwards. "First of all, proper teamwork. You all saw that video. If Madarame and Ayasegawa had fought together, they wouldn't have been nearly as damaged." She looked around challengingly. "These are not honorable opponents, and insisting on fighting one-on-one is foolish. And while we all know that, none of us have really been trained to work together. Academy training is still based on the idea of a proper duel, where fighting two against one is dishonorable." She looked over at Urahara and Yoruichi. "During the Winter War, you two, along with Isshin Kurosaki, were the only people who fought together effectively." She glanced at Shunsui and Juushiro. "Admittedly, you make a deadly team when you work together, but you don't do it often. Not many opponents are strong enough to face two captains."

Urahara preened. "Well, thank you for the compliment!"

Yoruichi smacked him. "Don't interrupt!"

Nanao continued, "Another lesson the Winter War proved is the importance of healers." She looked down at her hands. "Do you know how hard it is to watch your friends fall, and be unable to assist them?" With great effort, she resisted glaring at her captain, who had put her in that position. "The injured should not be left lying in the dirt until the end of the battle, not when seconds can make a difference between life or death. I saw Kira Fukutaicho attempting to heal the other lieutenants, and while he did an admirable job, he shouldn't have been put in that position. We should have had combat-capable members of the fourth in position to heal anyone who was injured as soon as they hit the ground." She looked around the circle, trying to read everyone's expressions. "We may not have fourth division members here now, but both Ukitake Taicho and I are capable of performing healing kidos. I'm sure some of the vizards are as well. There's no reason for people to fight while injured, not when we have enough combatants to take their place."

Yoruichi nodded approvingly. "That'll be especially important against these opponents. Judging by Madarame's fight, they can drain you through contact with a sufficient quantity of your blood, as well as skin-to-skin contact."

"So no bleeding!" Urahara recommended cheerfully.

Yoruichi kicked his shin. "Or get all wounds healed before they can drip blood everywhere, moron."

Lisa grinned at Nanao. "Never thought you'd turn into such a strategist! Though I suppose I should have expected it, given how much you enjoy reading those dusty history tomes. I like it!"

"Actually, I got the idea for battlefield healers from a few modern fantasy novels," Nanao replied dryly. "Apparently some authors think it's obvious that leaving the wounded untreated is a bad idea."

Shinji nodded slowly. "If we'd had healers around, that fight could have gone a lot differently." His gaze darkened, and it was clear he was thinking of Hiyori. The young vizard's near-death experience had sobered them both in many ways.

"No use crying over spilled milk," Juushiro interjected firmly. "We'll simply have to do better this time around." He looked between Lisa and Shinji. "Who among you is healer-trained?"

"Besides Hachi?" Lisa shrugged. "Rose is pretty good at kido, but I don't think he ever studied with the fourth."

"Three healers isn't bad," Shunsui mused. "If we need more than that, we're in way more trouble than we thought!"

Urahara nodded. "Good suggestions, lieutenant!" He smirked at all of them. "Feel free to use my basement for training if you want practice working as a team." Juushiro bowed slightly in thanks, and Urahara disappeared into the back of the shop.

Yoruichi motioned to the soul reapers. "While he putters around in that dingy lab of his, why don't you three get your gigais and find your hotel?"

Juushiro and Shunsui followed her back, but Lisa caught Nanao's wrist when she went after them. "Truly, is he treating you alright?" she asked seriously. "Are you happy?"

Nanao nodded. "The eighth is home. Admittedly, he doesn't ever do any of his paperwork or show up to meetings on time, and he's as overprotective as ever, but I'm used to it."

Lisa studied her expression. "Good." She leaned in close, and whispered, "So are you sleeping with him?"

Nanao's cheeks flushed scarlet. "What? No!"

"Nanao-chan, are you coming?" Shunsui called from down the hall.

Lisa chuckled at her panicked expression. "Let's talk later, we've got a hundred years to catch up on!" Nanao bobbed her head in agreement and fled, face on fire.

She found Juushiro and Shunsui already encased in their gigais, picking out a few sets of modern clothes from the piles Urahara had provided. Quickly, she melded with her own gigai, stretching as her spirit sank into the artificial flesh. It always felt too tight at first, as if her skin was two sizes too small, but the feeling soon vanished. The clothing, however, needed some work.

"I don't understand how humans wear these things," she muttered, plucking at the skirt that barely came to mid-thigh. The navy blue button-up blouse was more acceptable, but she immediately did up the last few buttons, refusing to reveal more skin than absolutely necessary.

"But my Nanao-chan looks so good in them!" Shunsui exclaimed. He wore jeans and a dark polo shirt with the sleeves rolled up, along with a pink tie slung loosely around his neck.

"I see you still have your favorite color, sir," Nanao returned, amused.

"You don't have to be so formal, Nanao-chan," Shunsui complained. "It'll sound weird if you're calling me sir or captain all the time when we're like this." Nanao didn't have a good response to that, so she stayed quiet as she walked over to the piles of clothing.

Juushiro, wearing slacks and a white coat over a dark green shirt, passed her a bag to put her finds in. "Since we don't know how long we'll be here, Kisuke suggested getting four or five outfits. We can go shopping for more if we need them, and we can always do laundry." She nodded her thanks as she began rummaging. The piles were sorted by size and type, so it was easy to find several long skirts and sensible blouses. She also snagged a light jacket in a lovely pastel blue, along with a few pairs of jeans. She'd never worn them before, but they looked relatively comfortable.

"Nanao-chan, catch!" Shunsui called. She looked up just in time to catch the bundle of dark pink fabric flying towards her head.

"Sir, what is this?" she asked coldly, holding up the skimpy dress. It looked like it would barely cover her butt, and plunged so low in back that every vertebra would be visible. The front wasn't much better, with a cut that would expose most of her cleavage for the world to see. The whole thing was decorated with sparkles and smelled faintly of perfume.

"It's perfect for you!" Shunsui explained happily.

Juushiro burst out laughing. "Shunsui, your taste is appalling! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Shunsui pouted, giving both of them his best forlorn face. "We won't be on duty all the time, and the living world has excellent bars. You'll need something fancy, and that would look amazing with your long, gorgeous legs!"

Nanao threw it back at him with as much force as she could muster. "Sir, there is no way in a million years I'm wearing that, or anything else you pick out."

"How about this?" Juushiro intervened before Shunsui could start finding other outfits for his Nanao-chan. He held up an aquamarine dress with a corset top and long skirt. While it was certainly more daring than her current outfit, it really wasn't too bad. In fact, it was rather pretty. She accepted the dress from Juushiro, knowing that there was no way Shunsui would let her get away without any party clothes.

After that, gathering the rest of the essential living world supplies was fairly easy. Urahara's shop supplied credit cards and performed the conversion between living world currency and Soul Society money, so they could buy things without a hassle. Explaining how the credit cards and cell phones worked took a bit of time, though. None of the three had been to the living world on an extended visit in decades, and technology changed much more rapidly there than in the Soul Society. Shinji showed Shunsui a game on his smart phone called Angry Birds, and the flamboyant captain was immediately entranced. Nanao rolled her eyes, but while Shunsui was playing with his new toy, he wasn't causing trouble, so she let it go.

The public transit system was another shock. Being jostled by strangers with no sense of personal space was incredibly unpleasant for Nanao, who stuck very close to Shunsui and Juushiro after a random guy tried to grab her arm. She had elbowed him in the solar plexus and kicked him in the groin, leaving him curled into a moaning ball at the bus stop, but that didn't make her happier.

Shunsui, who also lacked much of a sense of personal space, took it all in stride. He ended up in an animated conversation with the bus driver about something called World of Warcraft. Juushiro and Nanao exchanged puzzled glances, completely unable to understand what they were talking about.

"I don't think he actually knows what he's saying either," Juushiro whispered as the bus rocketed around another corner. Compared to shunpo speeds, it was quite slow, but the lack of control over the motion was a bit disturbing.

"You're probably right, though it may be something Rangiku brought back from one of her trips," Nanao replied, clutching the seat a bit harder than necessary. "She spends a lot of time with the ryoka, and they surely know what this Warcraft thing is."

Juushiro gave his lover a fond look, shaking his hair out over his shoulder. "I just hope he asked the driver where we get off, since I'm thoroughly lost," he admitted.

Thankfully, Shunsui turned around a few minutes later, and informed them, "We're getting off at the next stop; the hotel Kisuke recommended is just a block away." Nanao heaved a sigh of relief, eager to escape the cramped, smelly bus. Juushiro sent her a sympathetic glance, patting her hand consolingly.

To her disappointment, they were back on the bus less than an hour later to return to Urahara's shoten. They'd just checked into the hotel when the shopkeeper called and announced that his device was ready for use. So they dumped their bags on the beds (Nanao had to convince Shunsui that she was staying in her own room, and not with the two captains), and boarded the bus again.

Once they got to the shop, Urahara ushered them into his lab and waved proudly to the workbench. "So?" he asked eagerly. "What do you think?"

They regarded the device in silence. It resembled a miniature tv, complete with a rounded screen and tuning knobs on either side. On top of the screen was a weathervane in the shape of a rearing horse, surrounded by small LEDs. The eyes of the horse bore an eerie red gleam. Wires protruded in all directions, and several tubes with no apparent purpose wreathed the whole structure.

"Is that a chimney?" Shunsui asked finally, indicating a miniature brick structure.

"It gets a bit overheated sometimes," Urahara explained airily.

"Great," Nanao muttered under her breath.

"Oh, don't worry, it's not dangerous or anything," Urahara reassured her. "Or at least not too dangerous," he added. They looked at him incredulously. "No, no, it's perfectly safe!" He began rummaging through his pockets, finally turning to dig through the mess on top of a filing cabinet. "I know I put them somewhere," he mused. At last he pulled out a handful of little objects, and turned to them triumphantly. "Found it! You'll need these, too. They're remote communicators, synced with the main hub. Anything that the main screen records, you can see on these little screens," he explained, passing the devices out. They were roughly the size of his palm, and consisted mainly of a round screen and several buttons. "The green button turns them into walkie-talkies, and the blue button shows a map of the city with the disturbance highlighted. Pressing it again returns to the main view. The yellow button brings up the menus, but you shouldn't need to use that." He looked down modestly. "I've hacked into as many camera systems as I could; mostly traffic cameras and other surveillance cameras. Plus a few satellites, you know? So I should be able to get a fairly good visual on the disturbance as soon as it appears."

Juushiro looked impressed. "How does your device know that one of these monsters has appeared?"

Urahara fluttered his fan. "What you have to realize is that they don't just appear out of nowhere. There's a steady buildup of reiatsu before the flare, which lasts approximately a half hour. Of course, that number is based on very limited measurements, so it may not be completely accurate. Regardless, my invention uses the signal from detectors placed around the city to triangulate that slow increase in spirit energy. Because it has a very different 'flavor', if you will, from the reiatsu of shinigami, vizards, and hollows, I was able to tune the detectors to be specifically focused on those wavelengths. Right now, they only give warning once the reiatsu rise hits a certain level, which appears to happen around twenty minutes after the buildup begins. I can explain the science in more detail, but I doubt you're that interested."

Nanao shrugged. "If you have a book that explains the principles behind it, I'd be interested."

The enigmatic shopkeeper lowered his hat over his eyes, hiding his expression. "I can lend you several books that describe the basics, but most of this work has never been published. The interaction between mortal technology and spirit energy is a fascinating topic, but not one that most shinigami understand."

Nanao bowed her head. "I understand, Urahara-san. Still, I would be interested in learning more about it."

Urahara lifted a thin volume off a stack of papers on his desk. "This should be a good start. If you finish that and you're still interested, come back and I'll see what I can find."

"Thank you, Urahara-san," Nanao replied quietly.

Shunsui, who had been shifting his weight impatiently from side to side during the science talk, sighed. "This is all fascinating, but you haven't told us what it actually does when it detects one of these things."

Urahara snapped open his fan. "Oh, how silly of me! It'll be obvious, I promise. You'll see the screen light up and show the video feed from the nearest cameras; the lights should also start flashing." He shoved the machine into Shunsui's arms. The captain accepted it with a startled expression, almost dropping the awkward thing. "Now, I'm sure you have things you'd rather be doing," the shopkeeper said, smiling.

"Thank you for your assistance," Juushiro said politely.

Once outside the shop, Shunsui nudged Nanao with his elbow. "I didn't know my pretty Nanao-chan was interested in living world tech," he teased.

She stepped a bit farther away from him and shrugged. "Why shouldn't I be? I'm sure it involves some fascinating kido, and no knowledge is ever wasted."

"Very true," Juushiro put in amiably. That sparked a discussion of kido techniques that lasted through the entire trip back to their hotel, where Shunsui declared he was going to take a nap. Nanao and Juushiro retired to her room, where they set up the device and began to peruse Urahara's book. Each paragraph was densely packed with information, so despite its size the book proved to be a challenging read.


	5. Too Easy

**Author's Note:**

/ Does it like double slashes? ...Apparently not, but it's fine with this: /\/

Finally, the action begins! Reviews are like unexpected chocolate pieces, so please review!

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Too Easy  
**

Shunsui awoke several hours later to find them lounging on Nanao's bed, still engrossed in the book. Juushiro sat with his back against the pillows, holding the tome in front of him, while Nanao's head rested on his chest so she could see the pages as well. He hid a smile at the touching sight. Nanao looked much more relaxed than usual, curled up trustingly against Juushiro's side. She never let anyone get that close. His lover had that little crease between his brows that he got whenever he was thinking hard, but he smiled as he turned the pages.

Shunsui sank down next to the pale shinigami, running his fingers through long white hair. "Good book?" he asked quietly.

Nanao nodded, not lifting her eyes from the page. "It's incredible! The living world's understanding of physics has progressed exponentially in the past few decades." She tapped Juushiro's hand, and he turned the page.

Shunsui nuzzled his partner's neck, content to lie there with the two most important people in his life until either got hungry and decided it was dinner time. Though he knew from past experience that both soul reapers would totally forget about food once they were engrossed in something. He'd forced his lieutenant to eat more than once when she worked straight through lunch, and his lover was nearly as bad. Unless someone interrupted them, they completely lost track of time.

This time, however, Shunsui didn't have to bring the pair back to reality; Urahara's device did that for him. Out of nowhere, it began howling, lights flashing. Smoke burped out of the miniature chimney, and the iron horse spun wildly.

Nanao jolted upright in shock, knocking the book out of Juushiro's hands. "What the hell?" she cursed, glasses askew.

Shunsui tried to calm his pounding heart as he scrambled off the bed. "How do we shut it up?" he asked frantically. The noise was piercing, and already someone was banging on the wall next to them. He tried to grab the horse, and nearly got his fingers sliced off for his trouble. Twisting the knobs didn't appear to do anything. Lacking any better option, he smacked it hard. The screeching stopped, but it was replaced by a tune that sounded like it belonged in a haunted house. "Well, that's better," he muttered.

"Look at the screen," Nanao suggested, straightening her glasses. She gave Juushiro an apologetic smile and carefully closed the book, setting it aside.

Shunsui whistled lowly as he stared at the machine. "It actually worked," he said in surprise. The picture wasn't high quality, but they could see a set of apartment buildings and part of the street below. A few people walked along the cracked sidewalk, but the area didn't appear densely populated. The windows in the apartment buildings were all shuttered; several were broken and boarded up. However, there was a distinct lack of ravening monster. Shunsui pointed out as much, looking confused.

Nanao studied the scene closely. "What's on the fire escape?" she asked, peering at the figure.

Juushiro shrugged. "A man taking a nap, I think," he replied.

She frowned. "Odd place to sleep. Something doesn't seem right."

"You mean besides the way there isn't a monster in sight?" Shunsui drawled.

Juushiro tried twisting one of the knobs, but that only sent the picture out of focus. "Well, Kisuke did say the screen would show the video from the nearest cameras. If there's not a camera pointed at the creature, we wouldn't be able to see it. Regardless, we should investigate." Both Nanao and Shunsui nodded.

"In the gigais, or in spirit form?" Shunsui asked practically.

"Since we can use shunpo and kido from within the gigais, I'd suggest remaining inside them for now," Nanao answered, nibbling on her lip. "If we need to interact with humans, and we may very well end up in that situation, they'll be necessary."

"We'll be visible to the mortals then, though," Juushiro objected. "They won't take kindly to a battle occurring over their heads, especially if the enemy is invisible."

Nanao nodded. "I know. But we know that these monsters can interact with living world objects, according to the vizards. So we'll need to ensure that any civilians are evacuated from the area."

"We can always stash the gigais somewhere safe," Shunsui interjected. "But right now, we should head out."

"Right," Juushiro responded. He slipped back into his coat and grabbed his remote communicator. "Can either of you sense it yet?"

Nanao stretched her senses out, trawling the sea of humanity for any sign of something unusual. In an area like Karakura, with such a high density of spiritual pressure, it wasn't easy. But then, tracking down Shunsui when he didn't want to sign paperwork wasn't easy either, and Shunsui knew all the tricks for hiding his presence. She narrowed her focus, shutting out the reiatsu of everything she could recognize. After a moment, she opened her eyes. "Got it…I think. It's slippery, and fairly faint right now."

"Then lead on!" Shunsui gestured grandly.

"Just a second," she replied, fumbling for her phone. She pressed a few buttons, trying to remember Urahara's explanation. "Hey, Lisa? Yeah, it's Nanao." She paused. "Yep. No good landmarks on the video, but I've got a trace on the reiatsu." Another pause. "Alright, see you there." She turned back to the captains. "Lisa's taking Hachi and Rose, they'll meet us wherever this creature is." When they nodded, she stepped onto the hotel balcony, grateful that their rooms were near the top floor. A quick glance around reassured her that there were no mortals looking up as she flashed up to the rooftop. Shunsui and Juushiro touched down a nanosecond after her.

She bit her lip as she reached out again for the abnormal spiritual pressure. "It's growing stronger," she murmured worriedly. "Come on, this way." The trio flash-stepped away, moving quickly enough to be invisible to ordinary mortals. Even if someone caught a glimpse of their rapid passage, they'd quickly dismiss the flicker from their minds. Humans were so good at only seeing what they wanted to see.

The reiatsu trace led them to a rooftop in a rundown part of town, matching the scene shown in the video. Juushiro looked down at his remote communicator, comparing its image to the buildings in front of them. "It's the right place, I think," he said, turning in a circle. "And look." He pointed to a convenience store across the street. The glint of a camera lens shone above its door. "That must be the camera Urahara-san borrowed."

"But where's the monster?" Shunsui asked. He looked as relaxed as ever, but his eyes roved constantly, noting everything around them.

Nanao walked to the front of the roof to look down into the street below. This close, the odd reiatsu swirled around, slipping from her grasp before she could pinpoint its source. She narrowed her eyes, scanning the street. Though there were signs of humans in the apartment buildings, no one was out on the street as the shadows lengthened. An abrupt spike in spiritual pressure made her look straight down, and she gasped.

Shunsui was instantly at her side. "Nanao? What is it?"

 _He must be serious if he's not using Nanao-chan_ , she thought absently. She motioned downwards, summoning kido fire to her fingertips. "Look." They peered over the edge to see a figure writhing on the steps of the rickety fire escape. Bone plates covered its back, overlapping like large lizard scales. A long tail protruded from its spine, thrashing randomly back and forth. Flaps of skin connected the arms to its torso, and its mouth was full of jagged, shark-like teeth. It flailed around, puncturing a hole in the rusting stairs with its tail, and wailed. Nanao flinched as the eerie sound wavered up and down, never settling on one note.

"Hey! What's that racket?" an old voice called querulously. A wizened man stuck his head out of a window near the ground floor. "What's going on?" The creature turned to stare downwards, and the shinigami could see the bone crest that formed a hood over its head. It screeched, the sound sending shivers down Nanao's spine. To her horror, it started to crawl downwards, towards the old man. Though it moved jerkily, lacking full control over its limbs, its predatory intent was clear. "What's that? Are you kids playing pranks again? I'm calling the cops!"

"Damn," Shunsui swore vehemently. "Either that guy can see spirits, or these things are visible to mortals."

"The latter," Juushiro asserted. "He doesn't have any more spiritual pressure than a normal human." Shunsui cursed under his breath.

Just then, Lisa, Hachi, and Rose landed on the roof next to them. "That is an incredibly ugly thing," Lisa marveled.

It cried out, and spikes shot out of its vertebrae. Its speed increased as it crawled down the stairs head-first. "I've called the cops, you kids won't get away with it this time!" the old man yelled, shaking his fist up at the monster.

Juushiro snapped into motion. "Hachi-san, can you contain it and move it to a location without any civilians?" Hachi nodded. "Do so. I'll take care of the humans here." Several other people had stuck their heads out of their windows, though no one had noticed the shinigami on the rooftop yet.

Hachi began chanting, and Lisa suggested, "Tell them we're filming a movie, it'll explain the special effects." Juushiro flickered away. A few seconds later, they could hear him soothing the humans, asking them to go inside and not worry, that everything was just a stunt.

"Will they believe that?" Nanao asked Lisa in an undertone.

"Probably not, but…" She broke off as Hachi enveloped the creature in a golden globe.

"Go!" he shouted, launching into shunpo before the echoes died away. The monster vanished with him and they streaked after him. Nanao and Shunsui focused on following the vizards, who knew the city far better than they did. Juushiro's reiatsu reached after them, reassuring them that he would follow shortly.

They landed in the middle of a deserted park, next to a towering stand of oak trees. Hachi dropped the kido globe in a patch of grass, then swayed on his feet. Rose hurried to his side. "Hachi? What's wrong?" The kido master collapsed to his knees, mouth open in a silent gasp.

Nanao reached out with her senses and abruptly recoiled. "Cut the kido!" she screamed, forcing her own reiatsu between the monster and Hachi. "It's draining him through it!" A violet shield sprang from her fingers, slashing through the glowing kido ball, but it was only a temporary measure. Nanao could feel the creature starting to latch onto her reiatsu through her spell; soon she'd be in the same position as Hachi.

Shunsui burst out of his gigai and flashed behind the vizard, swords drawn. One quick strike of his pommel sent Hachi slumping to the ground, unconscious. The globe evaporated, and Nanao quickly withdrew her shield. She shunpoed to Hachi's side, dropping to her knees beside his crumpled form. Rapidly scanning him, she sighed with relief. "The drain stopped," she announced. "He'll be okay, he just needs rest." She smiled gratefully at her captain. "Quick thinking, to knock him…watch out!"

Shunsui spun as the monster leapt at him, serrated claws slashing through the air. He caught the blow on his crossed swords, but the beast's momentum sent the pair tumbling backwards. "Fuck!" Lisa swore heatedly. She seized Hachi's arm, and Nanao lifted the other. They flashed to the edge of the clearing, depositing his body under a tree.

"I'll guard him, see if I can get him on his feet," Nanao said hurriedly. "You go help them."

"Play, Kinshara!" Rose yelled. A blur of gold shot by them and the monster growled. Lisa swept her mask down over her face and ran to her comrade's aid. Nanao laid her hands over Hachi's heart and started feeding him spirit energy.

"What happened?" Juushiro asked, materializing by her side with kido burning around his hands.

"You know how these things can drain reiatsu through blood? Well, apparently they can do it through kido as well." She bared her teeth. "He encased it in a high-level spell to transport it, and it started eating his energy. Shunsui knocked him out to stop the drain." She was under too much stress to realize she'd just referred to her captain by his first name.

"That was smart," the pale captain murmured. "Knock him out to end his spell, hoping that the creature had latched onto the spell and not him directly."

Nanao nodded. "I threw a shield up to disrupt his spell temporarily; it didn't take long before it had hooks into that as well. We need to be very careful if we're using bakudo, I think."

"Have you tried any hado?" Juushiro asked.

"Not yet."

Fire flared to life around his fingertips. "Well then, Hado 31: Shakkaho!"

* * *

This thing just won't die, Shunsui thought to himself in frustration as he blocked another blow of those vicious claws. It was fast too, though not as quick as any of them. Still, a speed advantage meant nothing if you couldn't even scratch it. At least it hadn't shown any signs of a personality. He'd gotten a bellyful of fighting intelligent, likable opponents during the Winter War. This creature, on the other hand, acted like a lesser hollow, unable to comprehend anything besides hunger. Which would be great, if it was as easy to kill as one.

Finally, fed up, he snarled, "Katen Kyokotsu!" His zanpakuto transformed into twin scimitars, red ribbons dripping from their hilts. Eerie giggles sounded in his mind as Katen Kyokotsu expressed her desire to play with this new foe. "Busho-goma!" The whirling funnel of air smashed into the monster head-on, sending it crashing into a stand of trees. For a second, it lay there, and Shunsui wondered if he'd managed to harm it. Then it reared to its feet and roared, and he realized the attack hadn't even dented the bone plates on its chest.

Rose took advantage of its distraction to wrap his Kinshara around its neck and arms. Lisa swooped in as it was immobilized, attempting to cut off its head. Shunsui watched in horror as its neck sealed behind her blade, healing even as she cut it. Nothing, not even the strongest vasto lorde, could do that. It lunged forwards and slashed at the vizard girl with its tail, ignoring the bindings around its arms. She skipped backwards, but not quite fast enough to avoid a shallow gash along her midriff. It licked its bloody spikes and moaned, reaching towards her. Almost like those zombies in that movie Rangiku made me watch, Shunsui realized.

A blast of red fire soared out of nowhere, flavored with the spring rain taste of Juushiro's reiatsu. He turned slightly to see his lover standing next to Nanao, who was crouched protectively over Hachi. The lazy captain waved casually. "I see you've come to join us, Juu-chan! Got rid of the humans already?"

"Focus on your fight," Juushiro replied in an exasperated tone.

"Oh, don't worry, this thing's not so tough," Shunsui replied flippantly, just as Rose came hurtling at him in an uncontrolled tumble. Somehow the monster had gotten enough leverage to throw the vizard through the air. Shunsui collapsed to the ground under Rose's weight, barely yanking Katen Kyokotsu out of the way, and the monster sprang at them.

To his astonishment, it crashed into a shimmering lavender shield emanating from Nanao's hands. She stood over them, legs braced and arms outstretched. The monster clawed at her shield, and she winced. He wasted no time scrambling upright, dragging the vizard with him. As soon as they were on their feet, she dropped the shield and shunpoed straight up. The monster bounded forward at the closest target: Shunsui. He dodged its charge and hurled another whirlwind at its side. It did no damage, but it did give them all a few seconds of breathing room.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Juushiro holding glowing hands over the wound in Lisa's abdomen. The vizard girl had dismissed her mask, and her eyes blazed with fury. Nanao held her position above the fight, another kido spell ready in her hands. As the creature began to rise, she blasted it with white lightening, dropping it back to the dirt. Shunsui launched another whirlwind, figuring it couldn't hurt to keep the thing down a little longer.

Was it just his imagination, or was it getting slower? Nanao released a second lightning blast, and it screeched. Lisa dove in, stabbing her zanpakuto into its brain, and Rose followed with his own attack. It shuddered, and cracks started spreading through its crest. "Everyone get back!" Nanao shouted. "It's bleeding reiatsu!"

A second later, the monster wailed. Shunsui tensed himself for an explosion. Instead, a puff of air gently brushed past him as it disintegrated. He blinked. "A bit anti-climactic, isn't it?" he joked. Glancing up at his lieutenant, he teased, "Was my Nanao-chan worried for her captain?" She blushed hotly, glaring at him. "Want to come and check that I'm okay?" She hurled a fireball at him. "Ow! Cruel Nanao-chan, that hurt!"

Lisa chuckled. "She handles you pretty well," she declared, walking over to him.

"She's so mean to me," he whined.

"Don't pretend you don't deserve it," the vizard returned, amused.

He pouted at her. "You're just as bad as she is!"

"Poor Shunsui, surrounded by beautiful ladies who won't give him the time of day," Juushiro commiserated, strolling over to join them.

The flamboyant captain turned to his lover with a grin. "Ah, but you're more beautiful than any of them," he declared, sweeping Juushiro into his arms. He gave the pale captain a lingering kiss, enjoying the softness of Juushiro's lips on his. It made him want to feel that softness elsewhere, but then battles always made him long for skin-to-skin contact. It reassured him that everyone he cared about was safe.

When he lifted his head, he pulled Juushiro's back to his chest and wrapped his arms around his lover's waist, resting his chin on his shoulder. Juushiro let his head fall back to rest against Shunsui's neck, though ordinarily he avoided such blatant displays of affection in public. Being in the living world was good for him.

"Mmm, uh-huh. Yeah. Ok, see you in ten." Lisa slipped her cell phone back into her pocket. "That was Kisuke. He's on his way down here."

Rose joined the group in time to hear her announcement. "Did he give us any specific instructions?"

"Don't touch anything, especially not the monster bits," Lisa replied wryly. "Said with that slightly superior air he has, like he's a genius and we aren't, but he's too polite to rub our noses in the fact."

"That's Kisuke for you," Shunsui chuckled. "Obnoxiously brilliant."

"I don't know how Yoruichi puts up with him sometimes," Lisa grumbled.

"Even Kisuke is not foolish enough to annoy a woman like Yoruichi Shihoin," Rose asserted. "She truly bears out the assertion that the female of the species is deadlier than the male. A human saying, but applicable to…"

"Shut up, Rose," Lisa interrupted. "We don't have time for one of your treatises." She looked over to where Nanao was helping a woozy Hachi to his feet. "Make yourself useful and go help them." Rose departed, huffing about uncultured barbarians under his breath.

"He obeyed you rather quickly," Shunsui observed lazily.

Lisa shrugged. "Shinji's our leader, or as much of one as we need. But they'll listen to me too."

"You really have gotten stronger," Shunsui commented.

The vizard rolled her eyes. "I don't even need to say I told you so, to that one."

Any further banter was interrupted by the appearance of Urahara, toting a large canvas bag over his shoulder. "I see my tracker worked," he said cheerfully. He glanced over at Nanao and Rose, supporting Hachi as they made their slow way over to the group. "What happened here?"

Juushiro stepped out of Shunsui's hold, brushing his fingers over his lover's arm. "From what Nanao-san says, these creatures can drain reiatsu through sustained kido spells, as well as through blood or skin contact. When Hachi used a spell to transport the thing to this park, it established a connection and began draining him."

"That's correct," Hachi said hoarsely, leaning on Rose's shoulder. "I used a bubble kido to drag the creature through shunpo with me, and did not realize until we landed that it had sunk its hooks into my energy. By that point, it was as if some force prevented me from simply ending the spell. Ise Fukutaicho interposed her own reiatsu, slowing down the drain, and then Kyoraku Taicho knocked me unconscious." He bowed to Shunsui, who looked slightly uncomfortable. "Thank you for your quick thinking."

Shunsui waved a hand. "Thank my lovely Nanao-chan here! She's the one who realized what was happening, after all."

The vizard bowed to Nanao as well. "Thank you, Ise Fukutaicho." She blushed, pushing her glasses farther up her face.

"No need to be so formal," Shunsui drawled. "We're all friends here."

Urahara played with his fan absently, studying Hachi with faraway eyes. The vizard bore his scrutiny patiently, accustomed to the shopkeeper's quirks. "This is a very interesting development," he muttered, snapping open the fan abruptly.

"We discovered another unsettling fact," Juushiro informed him. "The creatures are visible to mortals, even those without a substantial amount of spirit energy."

Urahara's eyes widened at that. "Well, that's unexpected." He paced towards the remains of the monster, prodding the pile of dust with his cane. "I need to run some more experiments. Where did you find this one?"

"The apartments down on Elm Street, near Founder's Bridge," Lisa replied. Urahara nodded slowly. "Is that important?"

The shopkeeper pulled his hat over his eyes. "Possibly, very possibly."

The slender vizard snorted. "Fine, be all mysterious then."

Urahara laid a hand over his heart. "Your mistrust wounds me."

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Come on, guys, let's let the humble shopkeeper do his mysterious work. I'm sure he'd rather that we're not in his way." Urahara didn't protest her statement, though he smiled slightly at her resigned tone. "Hachi, we need to get you back to the warehouse. Can you use shunpo?"

He shook his head. "My reiatsu is too low at the moment, I'm afraid."

Urahara fluttered his fan. "I can help with that." He tossed a key ring at Lisa, who snagged it out of the air with a puzzled expression. "My car is just down the road; you can borrow it and return it later. Just don't get it scratched up!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Lisa promised.

Shunsui looked at her incredulously. "Wait, you can drive?" She shrugged. "Can I try?"

"No!" Nanao and Juushiro responded together. Nanao continued, "Absolutely not, sir. You have no idea how to, and those vehicles are dangerous."

He pouted. "Aww, Nanao-chan! But I'm a really quick learner!"

She stared at him coldly. "Sir, you heard what Urahara-san said: no scratches on his car."

Lisa chuckled at his downcast expression, patting his shoulder. "I'll give you driving lessons sometime, how's that?"

Juushiro eyed her skeptically. "Are you sure that's the best idea?"

She shrugged. "We'll start in a parking lot where he can't run into anything. Besides," she winked at Shunsui, "cars are fun for more than just driving around."

Nanao hid her face in her hands. "I don't want to know," she muttered.

Lisa slung an arm around her shoulder. "Honey, I've got so many things to teach you," she announced.

"Ooh, kinky," Shunsui smirked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "Can I watch?" Nanao, face on fire, threw a handful of blue lightning at him. She then proceeded to avoid both him and Lisa for the entire journey back to the vizards' warehouse home. Shunsui didn't mind; she was just so adorable when she was flustered.


	6. Too Many Questions

**Author's Note:**

Does anyone else think that letting a millennia-old shinigami drive is a bad idea?

Also, thank you to Starscape91 and the people who reviewed under the names Shun and Kimmi for your lovely reviews! Please, reviews help me know what people want to read, so even a sentence is great!

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Too Many Questions  
**

Once Hachi was resting peacefully, they gathered the rest of the vizards for an impromptu meeting down in their underground training area. Hiyori passed out plates of barbecue and potato salad for a late dinner, and they all settled down on the rocks scattered throughout the area. "So," Lisa began once everyone had food, "Here's the situation." She proceeded to explain what they'd learned over the past few hours, handling the inevitable interruptions with testy grace.

When she finished, Kensei stood. The muscular vizard wore cargo pants, orange fingerless gloves, and a navy tank top; his zanpakuto, in the shape of a hunting knife, rested on his hip. "So, what now?" he demanded. "Are we just supposed to wait for Urahara like good little lap dogs?" Shunsui could feel his reiatsu lashing around him, tainted with the disconcerting flavor of hollow energy.

"Kensei, calm down," Shinji ordered wearily. "Get ahold of yourself."

"He's been a little on edge since that lieutenant visited," Lisa confided to Shunsui. He raised an eyebrow. "You know, the kid with the 69 tattooed on his face?"

"Oh, Hisagi Fukutaicho?" Shunsui asked in surprise. "Why?"

Lisa glanced over at the former captain. "His inner hollow reacted rather strongly to what looked like a mark of ownership to it. Hell, the kid even wore a collar! Our hollows can be very possessive." She trailed off, then added, "Plus he hasn't gotten laid in a while."

"You're still as blunt as ever," Shunsui commented, amused. She shrugged noncommittally.

Kensei pulled his spirit energy under control, sinking back down. Shinji sighed. "I know you're restless. We all are, and this mess isn't helping." He turned to the three soul reapers. "You may not know how territorial powerful hollows are. We can share territory because we're basically a pack in our hollows' eyes, but make no mistake, this city is ours. So having enemies that we can't easily defeat appearing out of nowhere makes our hollows unhappy. And they communicate that to us." Juushiro quirked an eyebrow at the lanky vizard, a silent question in the motion. Shinji ignored him.

Lisa rose when Shinji fell silent. "Right now, there's nothing we can do. We've got Kisuke's device, and it'll warn us when another one appears."

Shunsui set his empty plate aside, and suggested, "If that's the case, I think we all need to relax! Know any good bars around here?"

"Ooh!" Mashiro squealed. She grabbed Kensei's arm excitedly. "Kensei, can we go to the one with the statue of the dragon in front? There were so many cute guys there!"

The gray-haired vizard sighed, prying her hand free. "Sure, if no one objects."

Mashiro flung her arms around his chest. "You're the best Kensei!"

Shunsui stood, brushing off his jeans. "Well, I don't have any objections, so long as they've got good sake!" The other vizards chimed in with their agreements, and the flamboyant captain grinned. "Let's go!" He turned to Nanao, hand outstretched. "Nanao-chan, are you coming?"

She shook her head. "I want to return to the apartments where we found the creature. There might be a clue there."

"By yourself?" He tried to sound casual, but he could tell he hadn't quite succeeded when her eyes narrowed.

"Sir, I will be fine." Shunsui slipped his hands into his pockets, wishing he had his hat to conceal his expression. While he knew it was true, he didn't like it one bit. Those things ate kido, after all; what if they got ahold of one of her spells, and drained her through it? He glanced over at Juushiro, silently asking for help.

The pale captain caught his eye and sighed. "Nanao-san, would you object to some company?"

Her lips pressed together, and for a second Shunsui thought she would refuse just to a prove a point. Then her shoulders slumped, and she gave Juushiro a weak smile. "No, your company is always welcome." Juushiro threw Shunsui a look promising that they'd talk later, and Shunsui smiled sheepishly.

"I'll see you back at the hotel, then," he said. Turning to the vizards, he declared, "Come on, I want to see what drinks the living world has!"

Juushiro followed Nanao back to the rundown apartments in silence, heart troubled. Night had fallen fully while they ate, and streetlights provided sporadic illumination in the street below. He knew that his partner wanted to protect his lieutenant, but this was going far overboard. Nanao clearly felt the same way. Her reiatsu sparked against his, twisting around her in a tight little knot. Even when she was furious, she had remarkable control over her spirit energy; only his sensitivity allowed him to detect the turmoil. He brushed against her with a tendril of energy, a silent reassurance. She didn't look back, but the knot loosened slightly.

They landed on the fire escape, several steps above the landing where they'd first seen the creature. It creaked alarmingly underneath them, and slivers of metal drifted down. The landing bore numerous punctures; half of the railing had been torn away. The rusted door swung on its hinges, also marred with claw marks. Shattered bricks littered the landing and the stairs below, product of the gaping hole in the wall beside the door. The area stunk of cigarettes and booze.

Nanao knelt, running her fingers through the debris. "Why hasn't anyone done anything about this?" she wondered quietly.

Juushiro cast his senses out, searching for the mortals who lived in the building. There were surprisingly few sparks of life in the vicinity, and most flickered dully. "I told them not to worry," he offered. "Most of them didn't seem to care much." It wasn't a great answer, but it was all he had.

"Why didn't someone at least shut the door, though?" Nanao asked, not really expecting an answer.

Juushiro frowned, studying it. The lock had been ripped away, making it impossible to close the door fully, but that wasn't what caught his attention. There were small holes through the metal that didn't resemble punctures caused by claws or teeth. The metal around the edges was tarnished and cracking. "I think they truly don't care anymore. These look like bullet holes." Unfortunately, such things were far too familiar to him. Over the years, he'd seen more battlefields than he could count, but human cruelty never failed to surprise him. They were remarkably inventive at finding new ways to kill each other. Death on such a scale was never a part of the natural order of things. It drew hollows like moths to a flame, and soul reapers had to clean up the mess. From the trenches of the first world war to the massacres of innocents in Vietnam, soul reapers saw the worst of humanity.

Juushiro shook his head sadly, memories pushing at the edge of his vision. "If violence is that commonplace around here, the inhabitants have surely learned to avoid undue curiosity." In these neighborhoods, too much curiosity would get you killed. The violence was on a smaller scale here than in war, but prevalent nonetheless. He exhaled, forcing the images back.

Nanao reached out tentatively and touched his arm. "You know, I was there for Hiroshima and Nagasaki," she said quietly. "I was only a fifth seat then, but you remember how they mobilized every squad for that."

Juushiro nodded, eyes darkening. "Even the senior class in the Academy was recruited." Those images were burned into his brain, never to leave. The sooty shadows burned into the walls, silhouettes of the dead caught in their final moment of life. The ghosts everywhere, confused and crying, screaming for parents, siblings, children. And the hollows. They swooped through the city like bats, snatching up souls by the dozen. There had been so many of them that the sky was black with garganta, not a scrap of blue visible. Soul reapers fought and fell beneath the oncoming hordes, while others frantically administered konso to the poor souls. He and the other captains had slain hundreds of Menos Grande that day, but the hordes just kept coming.

He blinked, and he could practically smell the blood, smoke, and burning ozone that had pervaded the city. For weeks afterwards, the stench had permeated the entire Seireitei. He remembered watching Zaraki, covered in gore, laughing maniacally as he charged yet another clump of Menos. Byakuya, elegant even the midst of carnage, decimating the hollows with his thousands of blades. Gin, an unhealthy glee in his eyes, smirking as his Shinsou swept through the city. Komamura and the seventh had guarded the fourth as the healers rushed frantically to save the injured soul reapers, knowing that their efforts would never be enough to save everyone. He and Shunsui had fought back to back, alternating between zanpakuto and kido, until a wave of adjucha forced them apart.

Juushiro swallowed hard. "We nearly lost Shunsui that day," he admitted. "An adjucha gutted him from behind. He still has the scar." He didn't like to remember the overwhelming fear he'd felt when he sensed his lover's reiatsu gutter and vanish. If Retsu hadn't sensed the same thing and arrived within milliseconds, Shunsui could easily have perished.

To this day, the horrors of the atom bomb haunted his nightmares like nothing else did.

Nanao bit her lip, violet eyes wide behind her glasses. "I know it's not my place," she offered softly, "but if you ever need to talk to someone..." She took a deep breath. "Sometimes it helps to share the burden with someone who doesn't carry just as much." Juushiro looked at her in surprise. She shrugged awkwardly. "Shunsui's come to me a few times when he's had a bit too much sake. He didn't want to trouble you, and he needed someone to talk to. I thought you might feel the same way at times." This time, she deliberately used his first name; it felt awkward to talk about such an intimate moment using formal language.

Juushiro blinked. He hadn't expected that Shunsui would confide in Nanao, or that she would want him to do the same. "I don't want to burden you," he protested halfheartedly. Truthfully, having another person to turn to when the darkness felt overwhelming would be very welcome. Centuries of leading a division left scars on anyone's heart.

The slender shinigami shook her head firmly. "It's not a burden."

Juushiro smiled at her. "Then let me extend you the same offer. Any time you need someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on, feel free to come to me." She returned his smile shyly, looking her age for once. It was easy to forget that she was much younger than him, most of the time. Usually, she was the mature one, while Shunsui acted like a randy teenager. He pulled her into a hug, and she cuddled against his chest for a few breaths before pulling away.

"We'd better get back to work before someone comes along," she pointed out. He nodded, and knelt next to her to sift through the debris for anything unusual.

Unfortunately, everything was permeated with the creature's distorted reiatsu, making it hard to sense anything else. Hachi's signature overlaid that of the monster, further muddling the scene. At last Nanao sighed and sat back on her heels. "There's nothing here that I can find."

Juushiro let a handful of dirt fall through his fingers, shaking his head. "I'm not finding anything either." He rose, dusting off his slacks. "Let's check below, something may have fallen down." Just in case anyone could see them, they walked down the fire escape instead of using shunpo. Though the structure shook ominously underneath their weight, it held steady until they reached the lowest landing.

"What good is a fire escape that doesn't reach all the way to the ground?" Nanao asked curiously. She vaulted the railing, using flashstep to land lightly in a crouch. He followed, unable to answer her question.

"Hey, aren't you the guy that was with the film crew earlier?" The voice came from the shadows, and they froze guiltily. A woman strutted out from a sheltered alcove and stopped, hand on her hip. "Well?"

Juushiro studied her warily. She wore a fake leather jacket over a tight top cut off just below her breasts, along with tattered jean shorts. Overdone makeup covered her face, and her hair was artfully messy. Though she couldn't have been more than twenty, her eyes had the weary look of someone much older. Her purely human reiatsu was almost nonexistent.

Deciding that denying it wouldn't help, he nodded. "Yes, I am."

She walked closer, balancing easily on platform heels. "You back for a little fun?" Stopping with a hand on her hip, she inhaled, pushing out her lower lip in a seductive pout.

With a sense of horror, Juushiro realized what she was asking, and blanched. "I'm afraid not," he said gently.

She sized him up lasciviously. "You sure? So why are you back, then?"

Juushiro glanced at Nanao, unsure how to answer. The young kido master stepped forwards, hands spread innocently. "We just wanted to make sure that everything was cleaned up," she explained.

The girl lifted an eyebrow skeptically. "Yeah? So how come there's still holes in everything?" She pulled a packet of cigarettes out of her back pocket, pulling one out with the ease of long practice. Juushiro stepped back as she cupped her hands around it to light it. Smoke tended to exacerbate his condition, and he had no intention of having a coughing fit in front of a stranger.

"We'll make sure those get fixed," Nanao lied. Juushiro supposed they could ask Kisuke what to do, though he doubted they'd be able to repair anything.

The girl snorted. "I'll believe that when I see it. City can't even fix the damn lights, there's no way a film crew's gonna fix a stair." She blew a cloud of smoke into the air and took another drag off the cigarette. "Whatever."

"Such cynicism for one so young," Juushiro chastised.

She rolled her eyes, directing a scathing glance at his white hair. "What do you know about it, grandpa?" She took one last hit off the cigarette and dropped the butt in the dirt, grinding it beneath a heel.

"Aren't you going to throw that away?" the pale captain asked.

She snorted. "Damn, you're new around here, aren't you? You think anyone cares? A little trash isn't exactly a big fucking deal around here, you know?" Juushiro winced at her foul mouth, but chose not to comment. Apparently his thoughts must have shown on his face, though, for she rolled her eyes again. "You're so fucking naïve."

Nanao folded her arms. "Have you seen anything unusual around here lately?"

The girl smirked. "Besides you idiots?" She shrugged casually. "Nope. Just the usual junkies and stoners and punks looking for a good time." She looked Nanao up and down critically. "Don't suppose you're interested in a walk on the wild side, hun?"

The soul reaper flushed and narrowed her eyes. "No."

"Pity. You'd be cute if you did something about those glasses and let your hair down." Nanao bit back an icy retort, and the girl grinned. "If neither of you are gonna play, I'm gonna go find someone who will. Enjoy cleaning up."

She slunk away, and Nanao shuddered. "That was depressing, awkward, and a little disturbing, all at once." She walked underneath the fire escape, looking up through the grating. "Come on, let's finish searching quickly. I don't want to run into anyone else."

Juushiro had to agree with her on that. He spread his senses out, looking again for anything odd. To his surprise, he brushed against something that rang with the monster's reiatsu far stronger than the broken bricks and metal slivers. He followed the trace back to a tarnished pocket watch, half-buried in the dirt. The chain was snapped and the watch face cracked, but the hands still swept in their unceasing circular path. Pulling it out of the debris, he noticed the inscription on the back: "To Jamie, with love."

"What'd you find?" Nanao asked, coming over to him. He showed her the watch and the inscription, and she furrowed her brow. "Why does it feel like the creature?"

"It must have been nearby when it appeared," Juushiro mused. "I hate to say it, but the monster may have eaten a person before we got here. Remember what happened to the patrol Kurotsuchi Taicho sent out? That might have happened to Jamie, whoever he or she is."

"So then why didn't this get eaten too?" Nanao inquired. "None of the patrol's gear survived."

Juushiro turned the watch over in his hands. "Possibly Jamie struggled, and the watch fell out of his pocket?" he proposed.

Nanao sighed. "That sounds logical, but I hate to think we arrived too late. Plus, the monster was barely able to crawl when we showed up. How could it have caught and devoured a person?"

"Maybe it's like a snake, and needs to rest after eating? But no, it absorbed a large chunk of Hachigen's reiatsu and only got stronger. One human couldn't have slowed it down." Juushiro knew his theory made little sense, but he couldn't come up with anything better.

Nanao shook her head. "Something doesn't feel right. Let's bring that to Urahara-san and see what he thinks," she suggested.

"Once we finish up here," Juushiro agreed.

They combed through the grime for another twenty minutes before Nanao straightened, rubbing the small of her back. "Alright, I'm done," she announced wearily. "If I stay stooped over much longer I'm going to get stuck that way."

"I'm sure Shunsui would love to give you a massage to fix that," Juushiro teased.

The slender shinigami rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he would. And maybe I'd let him if it meant he would stop being so bloody overprotective!" She looked Juushiro hopefully. "Would it?"

He shook his head, laughing. "I doubt it. You could try though. He might be so shocked that you gave in that he'd forget to worry for a bit."

"I don't think I'll take that chance," she said dryly. Nibbling her lip, she looked at the ground, then back at him. "Does it ever bother you?"

"His flirtations with any hot female?" Juushiro asked. She nodded. "It used to," he admitted frankly. "But we've been together for so long that when jealousy crops up, we know how to handle it." He leaned back against the building, hands in his pockets. "It's not always easy to be in an open relationship, but for us it's worth it. Just as you can have multiple close friends, you can fall in love with multiple people, especially if you live as long as we have. Rather than try to pretend that it doesn't happen, we chose to embrace it." It hadn't always worked out, especially when they fell in love with the same person, but when it had, it had been wonderful. He smiled self-consciously. "I know that sounds very trite and idealistic, and it's not quite as easy as that, but it really can work." Mostly, it took communication, along with a willingness to admit when you screwed up. Not that that was easy, but the rewards were more than worth it. "I hope that makes sense."

She nodded slowly. "It does. Thank you, Ukitake-san."

When she didn't add anything more, he pushed himself off the wall. "Shall we adjourn to the shoten?"

To their disappointment, Urahara was nowhere to be found when they arrived at his shop. Jinta, bright red hair sticking up in random spikes, greeted them instead. He informed them that the shopkeeper had vanished with Yoruichi a few hours ago, and probably wouldn't be back for hours more. Juushiro sighed, pulling out the pocket watch. "Then could you give this to him when he returns? Tell him that we found it by the apartments where the monster appeared this evening."

"Yeah, okay," Jinta muttered, his usual surliness subdued in the face of Juushiro's calm demeanor. He vanished back inside the shop, shutting the door firmly behind him.

"Kyoraku Taicho should be thoroughly drunk by now," Nanao commented as the door slid shut. "Should we go fetch him?"

Juushiro shrugged. "Let Lisa and the others handle him for tonight. He'll probably end up in her bed anyway." And then tell him far more information than he really wanted to know in the morning. Shunsui's idea of boundaries wasn't the greatest.

Nanao looked surprised, then thoughtful. "In that case, we may as well head back to the hotel. I want to finish that chapter on reiatsu tracking."


	7. False Cause Fallacy

**Author's Note:**

If anyone is interested in a more complete description of polyamory, check out the book More Than Two, or the blog by the same name. The explanation Juushiro gave in the last chapter is only a brief overview of what a poly relationship can be like. While I am poly, there's an incredible amount of variation in poly relationship structures; I'm using the one that I'm most familiar with. Basically, both Shunsui and Juushiro have agreed that they can sleep with or form a relationship with other people without the other having veto power over those relationships. While neither will do anything that hurts their partner, they can and have formed significant, long-term relationships with others in the past.

* * *

 **Chapter 7: False Cause Fallacy  
**

When Shunsui returned the next morning, sleepy-eyed and satisfied, he was amused to find Nanao and Juushiro curled up together and fast asleep, still wearing their clothes from the night before. _Aww, my Nanao-chan looks so cute and innocent like that!_ he thought happily. Urahara's book lay neatly beside them, a paper bookmark two-thirds of the way through. They'd apparently read until they couldn't possibly stay awake any longer, which explained why he was awake before them for once. Knowing his lover and his lieutenant, they probably didn't get to sleep until around dawn. He draped a light blanket over them and settled into the armchair beside the bed. _May as well nap while I have the chance, since my Nanao-chan surely has plans for the day once she wakes up_.

He reawakened about an hour later to a flustered squeak from his lieutenant. Nanao sat up, realized where she was, and nearly fell off the bed as she scrambled backwards. He caught her before she could hit the ground, setting her gently back on the bed. "Taicho?" she asked uncertainly.

"So my Nanao-chan slept with my Juu-chan?" he teased, unable to resist.

She flushed hotly, and stammered, "What? No! I mean, well, we fell asleep while reading, but…" She trailed off, embarrassed.

He grinned at her mischievously. "You two looked very cute together, all curled up like puppies." He winked. "You'd make an adorable couple, though I'd hate to lose my Nanao-chan to my best friend." She spluttered.

Juushiro raised his head, silvery hair falling in his eyes. "Morning already?" He ran his fingers through his mane, stretching. "Shunsui, love, stop teasing Nanao-san."

His lover pouted. "But she blushes so adorably! And besides, I can't lose her to you without a fight!"

Nanao sighed. "Sir, you're not losing me to anyone." He saw the moment when her sleep-deprived brain realized that it was not the smartest thing to say.

He leered at her. "So I get to keep my Nanao-chan? Wonderful!" He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "You know, if you want to join us all you have to do is ask." Nanao and Juushiro smacked him simultaneously.

"Boundaries!" the pale captain admonished. He winked at Nanao, a bit of his own mischievous nature coming into play. "Though he's right, you'd be welcome." Shunsui could tell that his lover meant every word, despite the teasing tone.

Nanao glared at them both. "You two are impossible! I'm going back to my room to shower; I will see you shortly." she announced frostily. She swept out of the room, head held high and cheeks flaming.

"See?" Shunsui said as the door slammed shut. "Isn't she so cute when she blushes?"

Fifteen minutes later, a much more composed Nanao met them in the hallway. "I got a message from Lisa-san," she informed them tersely. "We need to get down to the shoten right away."

"What's going on?" Juushiro asked worriedly.

The slender shinigami shook her head. "Lisa-san didn't say, just that it was urgent."

"Then let's go," Juushiro urged.

"We can't use shunpo in the gigais right now, though," Nanao pointed out practically. "There are too many people around. Either we need to leave them here or take the bus. She bit her lip. "I hate to say it, but we should probably do the latter. We may need to interact with humans, especially if this situation has anything to do with the pocket watch we found."

"Watch?" Shunsui asked curiously.

"We can explain on the way," Juushiro responded. "I agree, though, we should use public transportation."

Shunsui grinned. "Or I could try driving," he suggested flippantly.

He hadn't even finished the sentence before Nanao was saying "No" quite firmly. "Sir, not only do you not know how to drive, you don't have a car."

Shunsui sighed dramatically. "But, Nanao-chan, I do know how to drive! Lisa-chan taught me last night! And then she showed me this trick she's learned with her tongue…" He trailed off when he noticed the flames sparking ominously around Nanao's fingers.

"Captain, we are wasting time. You are not driving, and we have a bus to catch." Without waiting for an answer, she stalked down the hall towards the stairs.

"It was really quite wonderful," Shunsui sighed to Juushiro. "See, she…"

"I don't want to know," his lover said firmly. "Let's go before she gets annoyed enough to forget that humans can't throw fire at other humans and breaks our cover, shall we?"

After a tedious bus ride, they arrived at Urahara's shop to find all of the vizards there, along with Yoruichi, Tessai, and Urahara himself. They were talking in tense tones, and barely looked up when the shinigami arrived. Shunsui looked around, counted heads, and came up one short. "Where's Love?" he asked, half dreading the answer.

"Recovering," Kensei answered shortly.

Urahara fluttered his fan, hiding his face. "He took quite a nasty beating, I'm afraid. But Tessai assures me that he'll make a full recovery."

"One of those monsters?" Juushiro asked in a concerned tone. "But we didn't get an alert."

"Care to explain that, Kisuke?" Shinji snarled.

The shopkeeper pulled his hat lower. "I promised I would once everyone arrived, and I will," he said calmly. "But you need to relax. Love will be fine." He looked around to find everyone looking at him expectantly. "Let's take this to the back room, I have some things to show you that I think you'll find very interesting." They followed him back to a crowded storeroom, littered with boxes and oddly-shaped tools. Urahara waved a hand, and the entire back wall lit up. The massive television screen displayed a static image of a grocery store parking lot, lit by several streetlamps and deserted for the night. "This was taken around 4 am this morning," Urahara explained. He pushed a button, and the image flickered. A man stumbled into view, clutching his arms around himself like he was cold. He wore a tattered hoodie and loose, ripped jeans. As he neared the center of the parking lot, he stumbled and fell to his knees. His hands were twitching as he pushed himself back to his feet, only to fall again. He landed on all fours and hunched his back, tangled hair obscuring his face. The video was soundless, but he appeared to be screaming.

"What's going on?" Hiyori asked irritably. "Why are we watching this stupid movie?"

"You'll see," Urahara replied smoothly. "Just keep watching." The feisty vizard huffed, but a look from Shinji made her settle back down on top of a box, scowling.

A whisper of movement in the video heralded the arrival of Love as he dropped out of flashstep. He headed towards the 24-hour supermarket, but turned as the man clutched his chest and threw his head back, mouth gaping. The tan vizard hurried over to him. The man flopped over on his side, squirming on the asphalt. As Love knelt down to help him, he seized the vizard's shirt in both hands. Love bent down, his body obscuring what happened next. It looked like he was trying to persuade the man to let him go when massive claws erupted through his body. Hiyori cursed viciously. Love crumpled to the ground, and the stranger fell on top of him. White spikes punched through his hoodie, shredding the fabric. As it fell away, the watchers could see bone plates crawling across the man's back.

Shinji looked sick. "Is this a joke?" he demanded angrily.

Urahara shook his head, unusually serious. "I'm afraid not."

"So what the hell is it then?" Hiyori yelled. "Has Aizen returned or something? Cause that looks a hell of a lot like hollowfication to me."

"It's not hollowfication," Urahara explained. "I'm not sure what it is, but it's not that. It is, however, a transformation, and one targeted towards humans." He paused the video as the man, now monster, reared up. Only vestiges of his humanity remained. Covered in bone, face hidden, it was clearly the same kind of monster as the one they'd fought.

"So why didn't your damn machine detect this thing?" Hiyori snapped.

Urahara pulled his hat low over his eyes. "Because it absorbed enough of Love's spirit energy to substantially distort its reiatsu signature. By the time its power reached a level my device could register, the signature resembled that of a vizard more than that of a monster." He bowed his head to Rose and Kensei. "Your quick thinking when you noticed the flare saved Love's life."

"This sucks," Hiyori spat furiously. She drummed her heels on the box, glaring at Urahara. The other vizards scowled in agreement, and Kensei punched his palm.

Shunsui didn't like the way the tension in the room was rising rapidly. Without moving from the wall he was lounging against, he waved a hand, catching everyone's attention. "Now, let's not get too worked up," he suggested soothingly. "We've just learned a very important piece of information, after all. Seeing as everyone's going to be fine, I'd count this as a victory."

Urahara nodded. "This is a critical discovery. I've already recalibrated my algorithms to take into account the transformation, as well as the distortion caused when they absorb reiatsu. You should receive a warning a half hour before the transformation completes, and the signal will be much more resistant to permutations in the reiatsu signature." Nanao and Juushiro nodded as if they understood, as did Hachi. The others just looked confused. "Even if the creature absorbs energy from someone or something, my machine will still detect it," the scientist clarified.

"You and your big words," Hiyori muttered.

Nanao furrowed her brow. "So what's causing these transformations? And what exactly are they, if they aren't hollowfication?"

"As for the latter, it appears to be a variant of the hollowfication process, targeting humans. But where hollowfication attempts to bring a shinigami closer to a hollow, and arrancarification does the opposite, this transformation is morphing the human into something new." He spread his hands, smiling guilelessly. "As you know, converting a human into a hollow is easy, though fatal for the human involved. And an ordinary human cannot be transformed directly into a shinigami. Though I suppose, if their soul had the power to manifest a zanpakuto, and would eventually become a soul reaper after entering the Soul Society, there may be a way to speed up that process." He shook his head, dismissing the thought. "Regardless, that is not what is occurring here. If I had to speculate, I would say that the humans are being molded into an entirely new life form."

Mashiro shifted restlessly from her position curled up on a box. "So what? I don't get it," she complained.

"Mashiro, shut up," Kensei ordered wearily.

The white-clad vizard toyed with her orange scarf, and whined, "But Kensei!" He glared at her, and she subsided.

Nanao ignored the exchange, remaining focused on Urahara. "And my first question?"

The shopkeeper fluttered his fan in front of his face. "Now that I don't know. It could be a virus, a ritual like hollowfication, a drug, or something else entirely."

"Ooh, a virus? Like a zombie plague?" Mashiro exclaimed, perking up.

Shunsui laughed. "Like in those movies that always end with the world being overrun by the undead?"

Urahara smirked. "That's not likely, thankfully. We'd have a much bigger problem on our hands if it was a plague. No, when I say a virus, I don't mean something that spreads nearly that rapidly. However, I need to know more about the victims before I can say anything with certainty."

Juushiro looked up at that. "That reminds me, did Jinta give you the watch we found? Given this new information, it may very well have belonged to one of the transformed humans."

The shopkeeper nodded. "He did, and that was good work finding it. I was able to find a fingerprint on it, and a bit of judicious hacking tells us that Jamie Ito was a 31-year-old male, arrested multiple times on charges of theft and battery. Coincidentally, his last known address is located in the apartment complex where you found the monster."

Nanao frowned at him. "How did you figure that out?"

He smiled mysteriously, hiding his eyes under the shadow of his hat. "Trade secrets."

The slender shinigami crossed her arms and stared at him, eyes narrowed. "That means you probably did something illegal."

"Well, it's not like I can just walk up to a police station and ask them to analyze the fingerprint I found," Urahara protested mildly. Nanao huffed. "It's for the greater good."

"Sure it is," she muttered under her breath.

Urahara simply smiled. "While the fingerprint is useful, it doesn't tell us everything. I'd like several of you to go to his residence and see what you can find. Ask his neighbors what he was like, if he'd had any unusual visitors recently, that sort of thing."

"Why can't you go?" Hiyori growled, still angry with the shopkeeper.

He waved his fan gently. "I'm far too busy in the lab at the moment, I'm afraid."

Kensei rolled his eyes, stepping forward. "You want us to dress as cops again, don't you?"

"I'm fairly sure that's illegal as well," Nanao pointed out.

The silver-haired vizard sighed. "It is, but he doesn't care. And it does make things easier."

Urahara didn't protest Kensei's words. "If you would be so kind, Kensei-san, would you take Shunsui-san and investigate? I think the two of you will make a good team of detectives."

Kensei nodded and gestured to Shunsui. "Come on, Kyoraku, let's get you kitted out."

He led the captain out, while Urahara turned to the rest of them. "I suggest you keep your phones close by, but there's nothing else you can do for right now."

Lisa nodded. "I'll stay with Love, then. Rose? Want to stay with me?" The blond vizard nodded as well.

Mashiro scrambled off her box, motioning to Hiyori. "Let's go get lunch, I'm starving," she announced. Shinji accompanied them as they left, while Hachi went with Lisa and Rose. Nanao and Juushiro were the only ones left when Kensei and Shunsui reemerged, clad in smart blue uniforms.

Urahara looked them up and down approvingly. "Very official. You've got badges and IDs?"

Kensei shrugged. "I grabbed a couple of badges, though I don't want to know how you acquired so many. We've got IDs too, but they may not stand up to close scrutiny."

"In those neighborhoods, you don't question the cops too much," Urahara replied casually. "You'll be fine."

Juushiro looked like he was alternating between amusement and horror. "You've got a regular criminal operation running here, don't you?" Urahara fluttered his fan, neither confirming nor denying the accusation.

"Don't you go getting into too much trouble without me," Shunsui warned his lieutenant and lover cheerfully. "Nanao-chan, a kiss for good luck?" She folded her arms and glared at him. "Aww, my Nanao-chan is so cruel," he pouted.

"I am not your Nanao-chan," she said resignedly.

Shunsui turned mournful eyes on Juushiro. "Juu-chan, will you abandon me too?" The pale captain laughed, giving him a quick kiss and an admonition to be careful.

Ten minutes later, they stood outside the rundown apartment building, searching for any signs of something amiss. "Nothing," Kensei grunted, plucking at his sleeve uncomfortably. "If there's any trace of the monster left, I can't find it."

Shunsui ran a casual hand through his hair. "Well, let's get started then, as I can't sense anything either."

"Follow my lead," the vizard warned. He strode up to the door, yanking it open and disappearing into the dim hallway. Shunsui followed him up to the fourth floor, where the muscular vizard banged on the first door he encountered. "Open up! Police!" he ordered loudly.

A sleepy young man pulled the door open and looked out, rubbing his eyes. "Yeah?" he drawled.

"Do you know this man?" Kensei demanded, shoving a picture of Jamie Ito in the guy's face.

The blond gave a bewildered head shake. "Never seen him before."

"Hey, Sora, what's going on?" A redhead poked his head out from a curtained doorway, glancing nervously at the fake cops.

"Dunno, they're asking about this guy." He showed the picture to his friend, who scowled in recognition.

"Why?"

Shunsui lounged against the doorframe as he responded lazily, "He's gone missing, and we're here to investigate."

The redhead rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever, like the cops care about a missing stoner."

"So you do know him," Kensei snapped.

The kid shrugged. "Seen him around a few times. He lives down the hall, three doors that way." He pointed towards the fire escape at the end of the hallway. Nudging his friend, he added, "Remember? He's the guy you nearly tripped over last week when he was sprawled out in the stairwell."

"Can you tell us anything about him?" Shunsui inquired, acting as if he didn't care much about the answer.

The redhead frowned. "Nah, not really. He's always high on something when I see him, but he keeps to himself, you know?"

"Was he the one that had the screaming fight with his girlfriend a few day ago?" the blond, apparently named Sora, asked.

His friend shrugged again. "Maybe?" He turned to look at the soul reapers. "Is that all? Cause we don't have any more information for you."

"You've been very helpful," Shunsui said smoothly. "If you think of anything else, let us know." He passed them a simple business card with the number to Urahara's shoten on it. Though he was fairly sure that the pair would do nothing of the sort, it couldn't hurt to give them the option. _Of course, that does require Urahara to convince them that they're calling a police station, if they call_. Maybe it would be better if they didn't.

"Of course. Good day, officers." Sora managed a modicum of politeness as he shut the door in their faces.

The next apartment was empty, but the older woman in the apartment after that told them that Jamie was a nice guy who always helped her carry her groceries up the stairs. "A lovely young man, really. It's such a pity he was so unhappy."

"Unhappy, ma'am?" Kensei inquired gruffly.

"Unlucky in love," the lady replied. "Why, he was always arguing with that girlfriend of his. I think she was cheating on him," she confided, leaning closer to the pair.

The next few residents told much the same story, but none of them had much to add. Jamie Ito was a good guy with a bad girlfriend and a drug habit, though none of the people could or would identify his drug of choice. According to one person, Jamie could frequently be found barely conscious in the halls after particularly vicious fights with the girl. No one knew if he had family or where he worked. Urahara's profile hadn't included that information either, which was unusual. It had listed his next of kin as a sister – several years older than Jamie – in Nagoya, while his parents were not identified.

"This is pointless," Kensei grumbled finally. They'd talked to a dozen people and learned nothing useful. He had no unusual visitors, no odd behavior, and no reason for him to suddenly transform into a monster. "I don't know what Urahara is thinking," the vizard complained.

Shunsui tugged at the collar of his shirt, wishing that police officers didn't wear such constraining clothing. At least no one had questioned their disguise. "One more stop," he promised. "Once we look through his apartment, we're done."

Kensei sighed heavily, shoving at the door to the apartment belonging to the missing victim. It refused to budge; apparently Jamie had locked it before his transformation. "Damn it," he muttered, rummaging through his pockets.

"We could use kido," Shunsui suggested.

Kensei raised an eyebrow. "And have the humans wonder why the cops can magically produce flame from their hands? No thanks. I've got a better solution." He held up a trio of slim metal tools proudly.

Shunsui tilted his head to one side to get a better look. "What are those?"

"Lock picks," the vizard returned shortly, kneeling and probing at the lock. "This is a cheap piece of shit, should come apart…" A click sounded and the door slid open an inch. "Right around now."

The flamboyant captain looked impressed. "Can you teach me?" He could already imagine the things he could do with a set of lock picks. So much more undetectable than simply kido-blasting the lock off. And there was that box Nanao-chan kept underneath her desk, that she wouldn't ever let him take a look at… He smirked.

Kensei shrugged. "Sure, I guess. It takes a lot of practice though." The prospect didn't bother Shunsui: contrary to appearances, he was perfectly capable of focusing on something for more than five minutes. He just preferred not to, not when there were naps to be taken and sake to be drunk.

The vizard pushed the door open farther, revealing a tiny room that hadn't been cleaned in months, judging by the appearance. Empty takeout containers littered the floor, along with balled-up scraps of paper and wrinkled clothes. A folded futon had been pushed against one wall. Dirty dishes lay in the sink, crusted with food scraps. More paper sprawled across a wooden desk, covered in scribbles and sketches.

Shunsui wrinkled his nose as he stepped inside gingerly. "It really stinks in here," he complained, stepping around a plate lying carelessly on the tatami mat. "Do you really think Kisuke-kun will find any of this useful?"

Kensei rolled his eyes. "Probably not, but with that man you never know." He pulled out his cell phone, snapping pictures of everything in the room. Shunsui wandered over to the desk, poking through the papers curiously. The sketches, mostly of naked women, weren't half-bad. The other papers appeared to be an attempt at a novel of some sort, though the scrawling script was hard to decipher. He also unearthed unpaid bills and debt collection notices, stamped with "LAST WARNING" in vivid red letters.

"Seems like our victim was a struggling artist," he remarked nonchalantly.

Kensei held up a baggie containing several green buds. "The smoking may have had something to do with the struggling part of that."

"Humans have such odd vices," Shunsui mused. While drugs weren't unknown in the Soul Society, they were rare, and mainly used by the lowest classes. Alcohol was far more prevalent.

The vizard snorted. "You're one to talk."

Shunsui pouted. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kensei favored him with a sardonic look. "A new girl every week and enough sake to drown a village? Ring any bells?"

The lazy captain flapped a hand, dismissing the accusations. "That's just enjoying life to the fullest." He held up a rather pornographic picture of a lady doing something anatomically improbable with a demonic figure. "What do you think?" Kensei glared at him. Undeterred, the irrepressible captain added, "I think I'll show it to my Nanao-chan, and see what she thinks!" _And just in case she doesn't like it, I'll bring others back as well_ , he thought, snagging several more drawings.


	8. Turning Through the Years

**Author's Note:**

I've got very little knowledge of how the Japanese police system works, so the previous chapter is mostly based on what I could research mixed with a lot of imagination. Hopefully it makes sense! This is a fairly short chapter compared to my previous ones, but don't worry, there's more action coming soon.

Please review, especially if you don't like something. Constructive criticism is far better than simply saying you hate everything about it, so even if you utterly despise this story please explain why! And if you like it, hearing that is great too. Thank you to Fading into the background, Snowkid, Lona, and Starscape91 for the reviews!

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Turning Through the Years  
**

Nanao was not amused. She calmly took the paper from him, incinerated it with a breath of kido, and settled her hands on her hips. She then proceeded to give him a lecture on proper behavior, respect, and sexism, punctuating every point with a sharp rap of her fan. He winced and moaned, but she had him trapped in a corner, and had no intention of letting him go. For such a small woman, she could be incredibly fierce. Juushiro was no help either; he pretended to be immersed in a book, but Shunsui could see the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Yoruichi wasn't even trying to hide her amusement at his expense. She lounged against the wall, orange-clad arms crossed under her breasts, practically posing as she smirked.

Really, he couldn't help it if he looked over at her a few times. She had such a luscious body; it was almost inevitable. She knew the effect she was having, too. Unfortunately, Nanao didn't see it quite the same way he did. After the second time his eyes strayed to Yoruichi's cleavage, she punched him in the chest with the full force of her reiatsu behind it. "Pay attention!" she demanded.

"Of course, lovely Nanao-chan," he wheezed, clutching his ribs. His lieutenant could put a surprising amount of power behind her blows when she chose.

"I don't even know why I bother," Nanao fumed, throwing up her hands. "Ukitake-san, can you talk some sense into him?" She stormed out, eyes sparking dangerously. He pitied the next person to get in her way.

Juushiro rose, placing a slip of paper in his book. "Shunsui, honestly, why do you keep doing things like this?" he asked in an amused tone.

He shrugged. "It's fun?" Encouraging a reaction out of his prim and proper fukutaicho was always entertaining. It was an odd relationship, but it worked for both of them.

"Someday she really is going to get fed up with you," the pale captain warned lightly.

"No she won't, my Nanao-chan loves me!" Shunsui declared grandly. "Isn't that right, Nanao-chan?" he called loudly. No response came, but that didn't dim the flamboyant captain's grin.

Juushiro shook his head in exasperation. "Don't say I didn't warn you." He tucked his book under his arm and left the room as well, heading towards Urahara's lab. The genius scientist was working on a set of kido spells that could potential reverse the transformation, and Juushiro thought that he might be able to help.

* * *

Shunsui, left on his own – Kensei had vanished as soon as they reported their findings to Urahara – wandered into the back rooms to look for Lisa. He found her sprawled against the wall next to Love's bedside, reading a swimsuit magazine. She looked up when he slid the door shut, but the injured vizard didn't even twitch. "How's he doing?" Shunsui asked quietly.

Lisa sighed. "He'll recover, but right now it's not a pretty sight." She gestured towards Love, whose tan skin bore an unhealthy ashen tint. "If he was awake, his hollow would probably take over, so Tessai is keeping him unconscious."

Shunsui took a cross-legged seat next to her, resting his chin on his hand. "What's it like, sharing your body and mind with a hollow?" he inquired curiously.

Lisa shrugged uncomfortably. "Similar to sharing your mind with your zanpakuto, except that our hollows are bloodthirsty, vicious killers," she explained carefully. Though her tone was light, a multitude of complex emotions lurked beneath the surface. She crossed her arms over her chest, glancing away from him. Her iron grip on her reiatsu loosened slightly, involuntarily, allowing a faint tingle of hollow energy to slip into her aura.

Shunsui studied her, worried by the way her shoulders tensed when she talked about her hollow. She would clearly prefer to talk about any other subject. That wasn't like his Lisa-chan, who never shied away from any topic, no matter how controversial. Frustratingly, he wasn't sure why she was acting so reluctant, though he could certainly feel the presence of her hollow. Rather than press her, he asked, "So where are Rose and Hachi? I expected to see Rose in here, at least, doing his best impression of a mother hen." The former captain had even managed to try Unohana's formidable patience with his constant fussing over friends and subordinates.

Lisa chuckled, relaxing. "He was doing just that until Hachi told him that he was agitating Love's hollow with all his fretting. Then he left in a huff, and Hachi followed – I think to apologize?" She shrugged. "Anyway, Hachi said that they'll probably grab food before they return, so I figured I'd stay and keep watch."

Shunsui grinned at her. "Well, I've been abandoned by my heartless friends, so I'll stay and keep you company!" He rummaged through his pockets, pulling out another crumpled drawing. "Here, what do you think?" He passed her the paper, which depicted a woman wrapped in an unlikely amorous embrace.

Lisa eyed it critically. "Not bad, but the proportions aren't correct, and there are too many tentacles," she decided.

"I tried to show a better one to my Nanao-chan, and she set it on fire," he confided, pouting. Not that he'd expected a different reaction, but still.

Lisa raised her eyebrows. "So are you trying to get in her pants, or trying to get yourself killed?"

Shunsui flinched. There was the blunt Lisa he remembered. Unfortunately, that particular question struck a little too close to home. "Neither?" he volunteered weakly. _Not that I wouldn't enjoy sleeping with her_ , he admitted to himself candidly, _but I'd much rather have more_. The kind of friends-with-benefits relationship he'd maintained with Lisa – to their mutual satisfaction – wouldn't work with his Nanao-chan.

"Mmm-hmm," Lisa responded, unconvinced. "Last time I saw her, she was a little kid, and you glared at anyone who looked at her the wrong way. If someone had showed her porn, you would have killed them. What changed?"

Shunsui coughed awkwardly. "She grew up, and became my lieutenant," he offered. If he was being perfectly honest, he tried to forget that he'd known her since she was that young. It made things awkward. Flashing Lisa a charming smile, he added, "But that's not that interesting. We didn't get a chance to talk much last night; I'd much rather hear about you. It's been a century, after all." He looked at her with hopeful eyes, and Lisa smirked.

"You mean you had better things to do than talk," she teased. Shunsui shrugged unashamedly. "Well, it's been an eventful hundred years. The first few were, well, not fun." Her face closed down, reiatsu turning inwards. Shunsui laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she sighed. "We had to keep our spirit energy locked down tightly, but our hollows were constantly fighting us for dominance. So we moved frequently, whenever one of us lost control for a millisecond." That hardly began to describe the gut-wrenching struggle against the mindless beasts inhabiting their souls, or the constant hunger, cold, and fear-filled exhaustion. They had traveled over every inch of Japan in that first decade. But Shunsui didn't need to know that, so she gave him a careful smile. "Eventually our hollows grew smarter, and we were able to make a truce with them. We were still in hiding, but we could stay in one place for more than a month."

Her former captain studied his hands, eyes sad. "I tried to find you, you know," he said softly. "But Kisuke did his job too well. Not even Mayuri, with all his gadgets, could find a trace of you. I thought you'd left Japan." He'd given up once the First World War began, and they were flooded with an influx of new souls. Every division had struggled under the strain, since the new souls were accompanied by a marked uptick in hollow attacks. In his quest to find Lisa, he hadn't cared, until Juushiro informed him, kindly but firmly, that he was letting his division fall apart. Since Yamamoto refused to let him resign, he reluctantly abandoned the search. It hadn't slowed down his alcohol consumption – if anything the order had increased it – but he had managed to stay functional while on duty.

Lisa shrugged. "We did leave for a while, but that wasn't until the second world war. We went to America then, since it was the only place not inundated with hollows drawn to the fighting." That was where Rose got his taste for rock and roll and Shinji acquired his tongue piercing. It was also the first time they managed to live somewhere longer than a year. She smiled reminiscently. "Despite the turmoil, those were good days. We stayed for several decades, until Kisuke got the bright idea to return to Japan and open his shop." The hippie culture had been incredibly welcoming of a group of unusual strangers, giving them the sense of family they all thought they'd lost. "Ask Rose about the Woodstock festival sometime; he'll talk your ear off."

"I'm glad you weren't here when the bombs dropped," Shunsui said fervently. He pressed a hand to his side absently, where an adjucha's claws had impaled him during the disastrous cleanup attempt. The scar still ached in snowy weather. "It was the worst carnage I've ever seen."

"Was Nanao there?" Lisa questioned softly.

Shunsui nodded. "We all were. That was before she became lieutenant, but she was a ranking officer, so she was in charge of one of the strike teams." He shook his head soberly. "She never talks about it, not even to me or Juu-chan. But I know she gets nightmares from it." As did most of the shinigami who had been there. He certainly did. Shunsui grimaced. "You know, all but one of her command made it out alive that day. A remarkable feat in that chaos."

"She's a strong woman," Lisa agreed. "I wish I'd been there to see her grow up."

"She grew up too fast," Shunsui murmured. "I'm not sure she ever had a real childhood." Looking back on it, he realized guiltily that part of that had been his fault. Serving under a captain who was perpetually drunk couldn't have been easy. She'd always shouldered more than her share of the burdens, and stubbornly stuck by him even when a monkey would have been a better leader.

Lisa grimaced. "She came from Rukongai. Kids don't get to be kids there." Her eyes grew misty. "You know how I used to read to her? She always wanted to read the gritty, realistic stories – said the fairytales were too silly."

Shunsui nodded. "I read to her a bit after you vanished, until she decided that it wasn't suitable for a captain to read bedtime stories to his subordinate. She never chose anything with an overly happy ending." In fact, more often than not, she'd chosen weighty tomes on kido or history or mathematics.

"I can see her saying that," the slender vizard agreed. "Even as a youngster, she was worried about propriety." The only rule she ever bent was the one that ordered all shinigami to wear their zanpakuto at all times when on duty. While she'd bear her blade, it was never visible, and she never drew it. Lisa still hadn't seen her shikai; she wondered if Shunsui had.

"Okay, no more sad stories," Shunsui decided. "Tell me how Kisuke managed to set up a shop that caters to shinigami without getting in trouble for being an exile. I've never understood that."

"Well, first he declared that he had lost contact with us decades ago," Lisa explained. Her smile grew sly. "But it's far more complicated than that." She launched into an epic tale of bribery, blackmail, and deceit, spanning both the living world and the Soul Society. Yoruichi's position as head of the Shihoin clan had helped immensely, as had Urahara's own massive database of secrets. Apparently he'd even had some dirt on Byakuya Kuchiki, though Lisa didn't know what. "Though I'd love to know it," she confided. The vizards had contributed their own tidbits of information; Shinji in particular knew a great many dirty secrets. "No one had anything on you, though," she complained.

"Not even you?" Shunsui teased, amused.

"Oh, I know all about your perversions, chronic inability to complete paperwork, and alcohol addiction, but so does half of Soul Society," she explained. "You wear your vices on your sleeve, and you're so proud of them that any attempt to blackmail you would fail miserably."

Shunsui smirked proudly. "What'd you have on Juu-chan?" he asked.

Lisa's eyes sparkled. "You'd have to ask Kisuke-kun," she laughed. Shunsui pouted at her, giving her a pleading look. She held her hands up in defeat. "We couldn't find anything on him either, though we did our best," she admitted.

"Really? I can think of a few things," Shunsui laughed.

"Do tell," Lisa urged avidly.

He started to do so, then realized exactly how terrible of an idea it was. "Sorry, Lisa-kun," he apologized. "Juushiro would kill me if I told you." Besides, stories from their academy days probably wouldn't make good blackmail material anymore.

She snickered. "Fine. So tell me all about Nanao-chan as she was growing up. I'm sure you've got plenty of stories from that."

Shunsui chuckled. "That I can do, and gladly!"


	9. Rolling Ones

**Author's Note:**

Back to the main action!

Since the process of inventing new kido isn't really described in Bleach, I made it up. Hopefully it makes sense.

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Rolling Ones  
**

Meanwhile, Juushiro, Nanao, Tessai, and Urahara spent the afternoon immersed in formulas and equations, sketching diagrams on a large whiteboard to prototype various energy flows. The cramped lab felt even smaller with four kido masters bustling around. Admittedly, the room itself was fairly large, but strange devices covered every available surface. After the third time Nanao tripped over the blank gigais sprawled in the middle of the floor, she decided to do something about the clutter. Grumbling to herself about disorganized idiots who didn't know how to clean up after themselves, she soon had the lab in a semblance of order. Tessai gave her a grateful look and muttered that Kisuke never let him clean up in here, or it would look much better. The shopkeeper himself ignored the reintroduction of cleanliness.

Admittedly, her efforts were hampered by the new experiments being created even as she cleared away the old ones. She had a difficult time staying focused, as well, as a constant stream of ideas flowed through the air. Juushiro and Tessai did their best to help her, but neither could remain on task for longer than a few minutes. Eventually, the lab was clean enough to provide a decent amount of workspace, and she gave up. At least they wouldn't be combining new experiments with old, partially-complete ones – they'd probably blow themselves up if that happened.

By dinner time, the four of them had come up with several different spells that could potentially reverse or halt a transformation. They were severely limited by lack of knowledge, but Urahara's experiences with hollowfication provided a good starting point. "I hope these transfigurations are caused by kido," the shopkeeper admitted finally. "If it's something like the Hogyoku, we should be able to counter its effects fairly easily." They'd already devised two separate means of disrupting such a spell.

Tessai glanced up from the bubbling beaker he was monitoring. "Boss, what if it isn't?"

Urahara ran his hand through his pale blond hair, sighing. "Then I don't know. If it's a disease, healing kido may help, but we would need to find the victim before the transformation began. The same holds true if it's a drug, though that would substantially decrease the period of time in which we could administer the aid." Despite that, a drug would be far preferable. A disease, with the potential of an epidemic, was a specter no one wanted to consider.

Nanao disentangled herself from the reiatsu net she was weaving, locking the strands in place with a gesture. "And if it's something else?"

"We pray that's not the case," Juushiro replied soberly.

The door banged open. "Oy! People! Get your butts out here, dinner's ready!" Jinta yelled. He stomped away, letting the door fall shut with a crash.

Urahara chuckled weakly. "I suppose that's our cue to go, then." Tessai nodded, chivvying them out of the lab, only to hear the whooping of an alarm as the last person left. "Ah, um, maybe I forgot to turn the burner off?" Urahara offered. He darted back into the room, wincing as a high-pitched screech joined the flood siren call. "Or maybe not," he yelled over the din. Red lights began flashing from the top of an odd machine that vaguely resembled an old arcade game; the scent of ozone drifted through the air.

Nanao covered her ears with her hands, eying the mad scientist warily. "Why do all of your devices make as much noise as possible?" she called.

"The boss says he likes it that way," Tessai explained wryly. "I'm surprised the police have never been called to deal with his racket."

The noise shut off just in time for the kido master's last words to echo through the room. Urahara smirked. "I build very good sound-proofing," he declared happily.

"And he bribes the officers to leave him alone," Tessai stage-whispered.

Urahara gave him a wide-eyed look of innocence. "I merely reward the fine members of the police for a job well done," he explained in patently false tones. Nanao and Juushiro exchanged glances, simultaneously amused and disturbed by the former captain's antics.

"So what was that, boss?" Tessai asked as Urahara strode out of the room, dusting off his hands.

"An opportunity!" Urahara announced cheerfully. He seized his cane from where it lay against the wall, leading the other three down the hall. "That was our monster alarm, newly upgraded and retuned. We get a chance to test our new kido!"

"And hope they don't blow up in our faces," Tessai murmured to the shinigami. "They often do." Kensei, Shunsui, and Yoruichi fell in behind the four as they hurried out of the shoten, casting out their senses in search of the newly-formed monster. Lisa called after them that she'd watch over Love while they were gone, as neither Hachi or Rose had returned.

Urahara flipped open a bulky cell phone, shaking it while muttering something under his breath. The screen flickered into life, buzzing faintly. "Perfect. Not too far away, and it looks like it's in Yoyogi Park already, so there shouldn't be too many innocents around. Let's go!" He leapt into shunpo, quickly followed by the rest of the combatants.

They landed moments later at the edge of an open meadow, bracketed by slender pine trees. An androgynous form writhed near the center of the field, directly between them and a collection of tarp-covered tents. The long shadows cast by the setting sun threw the figure into harsh relief, highlighting every painful flinch and twist. Yoruichi took in the scene at a glance before flashing over to the figure. In a move that shocked everyone, she picked it up and literally threw it at the gathered shinigami.

They scattered in surprise, and the person landed in a heap in the dirt. Up close, it was clear that the monster used to be a woman with long black hair and refined features, now mostly covered in bone plating. She whimpered low in her throat as another plate shot out of her neck, covering her mouth. Yoruichi's reiatsu flared as she appeared over the woman, seizing her collar and hurling her into the woods. The landing must have hurt, but the creature showed no pain. They all followed, landing in a rough semicircle around the victim. "Can't let the mundanes see us, or it," she explained briefly. "You've got the memory modifier just in case, right?" she asked, turning to Urahara.

He nodded. "Of course! Now, I believe we have a good ten minutes before the transformation completes, so I'd like to attempt one of the spells we created. Kensei-san, Shunsui-san, please stand back." The two backed away, putting several trees between them and the kido masters. Urahara looked over at Nanao. "The net?" She flicked her hands apart, summoning a complex web into the space between them. "Very good. Now, we all remember what to do, right? Tessai, Juushiro, places, if you please." The pair shunpoed into position opposite each other, bracketing the forming monster between them. Nanao leaped into position as well, forming a triangle with the victim in the middle. Urahara smirked. "Alright, good. Now, just like we practiced."

Nanao tossed a corner of the net to Juushiro, and another to Tessai, ignoring Urahara's condescending tone. As they caught it, she reached out with her reiatsu, linking spiritual hands with the other two kido masters. Together, they slowly lowered the net onto the woman's back. She screamed as the first fibers touched her skin, burning with unnatural fire. Smoke rose in faint wisps from her flesh. Urahara snagged one of the edges of the mesh, sending his own reiatsu through every strand. The fibers flared brightly, scintillating through a rainbow spectrum of color before settling into a pure white light. Juushiro raised his hand to shield his eyes, while Nanao and Tessai squinted.

The woman cried out, her voice spiraling downwards into a guttural moan. The tone gained a harsh edge, reminiscent of the watery overlay the vizards' masks gave them. Urahara cursed under his breath as the light surged brighter. Smoke still rose from the woman's skin, but the bone plates were growing faster now. They flowed over her like water, enveloping her in a smooth carapace. Wherever they touched, the net dimmed.

Nanao forced her eyes open wide, shifting her sight into the dual vision where she could watch energy flows and the real world at the same time. In this world, the white gleam of the web was only an overlay on layers of azure and amethyst energy, braided together into long strands of power. That was Juushiro and Tessai's work. Her own reiatsu, a pale lilac, threaded through the weave as well, providing little accents of a lighter color. Urahara's crimson couldn't be seen underneath their energy, but his reiatsu formed the foundation of the web. The creature itself blazed with neon magenta.

As she watched, the monster ate away at the brilliant white, burrowing through the protective shell they'd formed. Tentacles of spiritual pressure forced themselves through cracks in the ivory armor, latching onto the underlying weave. Nanao felt a faint tug on her spirit energy, which quickly grew into a powerful pull. She gasped. It felt like blood flowing from a gaping wound, but without the pain. Just the steady sensation of loss.

"Drop the net!" Juushiro shouted, releasing his corner abruptly. Nanao and Tessai followed suit, shaken. Without their constant influx of energy, the monster rapidly absorbed the powerful kido. Extra limbs burst from its sides, extending into vicious serrated pincers. It clacked its jaw, revealing row upon row of tiny jagged teeth. As they watched in horror, it rose gracefully to its feet, turning its eyeless head as though it could see every one of them. A hollow hiss issued from its mouth as bone continued its slow crawl across its body.

"Well, that didn't work," Urahara mumbled. "Alright, take two!"

This spell called for them to form a square around the monster, trapping it with the force of their spiritual pressure. They'd modified Kurohitsugi, Black Coffin, in a daring and dangerous attempt to take out a foe apparently capable of breaking through nearly any hado.

"Seeping crest of turbidity!

Arrogant vessel of lunacy!

Storm forth and deny change!

Grow numb and flicker!

Disrupt sleep and swallow dreams!

Crawling queen of iron!

Eternally self-destructing creation of bone and ash!

Bind!

Freeze!

Drain all energy and know your own powerlessness!"

The chant, a modified version of the incantation for Kurohitsugi, twisted and burned in Nanao's mouth. She fought to pronounce the words, spitting each phrase through numb lips. The other three kido masters spoke in strong voices, but she caught a glimpse of Juushiro grimacing, and Urahara's lips twisted as though he'd bitten into a lemon. The magic fought them as they forced it to coalesce into a perfect ebon square, undulating out of their grasp.

The first part of the spell was intended to bind the monster, putting it into a kind of stasis so they could begin reversing the effects of the transformation. It incorporated some elements of a time stop, but they weren't directly using that forbidden kido. Kurohitsugi already disrupted time and space; they simply magnified that disturbance.

Obsidian walls rose out of the ground between the four mages, humming at the edge of hearing. The monster tilted its head to one side, snapping at the air. The walls grew higher, radiating their own peculiar kind of gravity. Nanao forced more power into the spell as the box threatened to buckle inwards. Ropes of energy streamed from her hands, connected to similar ropes extending from Juushiro and Urahara. They wove their reiatsu into a secondary box, careful to leave a gap between their net and the walls of the black coffin.

Myriad spears pierced the lightless casket, eliciting a howl of pain from the monster. Abruptly, it fell silent, and Nanao dared to hope that the spell had worked. Urahara clapped his hands. "Alright, everyone, part two!"

Nanao reached out for Juushiro, linking with his reiatsu in a tight, intimate binding. She could feel his determination carried on a stormy sea of energy that tasted of lightning and salt, and knew that he could feel her emotions as well. Across from them, Urahara and Tessai did the same. Urahara pulled their meld into his own once the pairs stabilized, tying them into a ring of power. Thoughts and emotions flowed between them, a subtle undercurrent of tumultuous reiatsu.

Such communion was incredibly rare among kido masters, but necessary for this spell. Together, they sent delicate probes towards the monster, hoping to discover the kido responsible for the transformation. Kurohitsugi inhibited their senses, but the modifications they'd made allowed their own reiatsu to pass through. Though not without a struggle; it felt like wading through sticky, hip-deep mud.

To their otherworld senses, the monster felt like a dark void, sucking in everything that came near. They drifted near it, sparkling motes of light in a sea of blackness. Thoughts like lightning flashed back and forth as they analyzed every sensation, every minute change in pressure.

Tessai was the first one to figure out that something was wrong. His alarm darted through the circle as he drifted slightly too close to the void, caught in a vicious riptide dragging him inwards. They yanked him backwards, but the force of the pull was far too great for a monster that was supposed to be in stasis. Urahara pulled his senses back slightly to examine the outside of the black coffin, and realized that the spears thrust through the walls were slowly dissolving. He sent a mental image of the disintegration to the others.

 _Damn it!_ Nanao thought subvocally. _So much for this idea_. She felt Juushiro and Tessai concur as they forced themselves back into the real world, falling away from the circle.

To physical eyes, the dissolution of the coffin was obvious. "So, what now?" Juushiro asked, as calm as if he was discussing the weather. Nanao admired his composure; she was shaking inside, though she ensured that none of it showed on her face.

Urahara tapped his fingers on his cane, a thoughtful look on his face. "Hmm. Let's see." He paused, looking over to where Yoruichi, Shunsui, and Kensei were chatting with one eye on the battle. "Hey, Kensei-san! We could use your assistance, if you don't mind!"

The vizard shunpoed over, one hand on the combat knife in his belt. "Yeah?" he asked curtly.

"Could your bankai hold that creature down for a bit?" Urahara inquired. He nodded. "Lovely. If you would be so kind?"

Kensei immediately dragged a hand over his face, pulling his bone mask down. "Bankai! Tekken Tachikaze!" he called in a watery voice. A massive explosion of wind burst out from his blade, whipping around them. Nanao shielded her face with an arm from the stinging dust. When she lowered it, Kensei had assumed his bankai form: segmented purple bands wrapped around his arms, while a thicker band arched over his head. Tachikaze took the form of bladed brass knuckles, covering each hand in silver metal. The spiritual pressure radiating from him – the peculiar mix of shinigami and hollow that all vizards shared – made Nanao shiver.

Urahara slashed the air with a hand, and their modified Kurohitsugi collapsed into shards, revealing a fully-transformed monster. It stood in the center of the debris, completely unharmed by its time in the gravity well created by the black coffin. If anything, it felt stronger.

Kensei snarled, launching himself bodily at the creature. It tumbled backwards under his assault, flailing with all four arms. Gashes appeared on the vizard's back, but he ignored them in favor of driving his blades into the thing's shoulders. Reiatsu surged around him as the explosive power of his bankai pounded relentlessly at the creature's carapace. As long as his blades remained in contact with his opponent, they released a continuous stream of violent energy.

The monster healed as quickly as he inflicted damage, but his greater weight and the sheer power of his blows held it pinned. It thrashed around, slashing more lines down his back, unable to break free. Yoruichi joined the battle, pinning its upper arms over its head. Her shunko flared around her, sending the tang of ozone into the air. The lightning surrounding her lashed out at the monster, burning thin stripes into its armor. They healed immediately, but the monster whined anyway.

Urahara and Tessai sprang into motion, flashing into place on either side of the downed beast. They reached out, fingertips barely touching over Kensei's body. Nanao could sense their spirit energy probing with laser precision at the monster, hoping to at least find a trace of humanity to latch on to. Instead, Urahara's eyes widened with alarm, and he dove at Yoruichi, knocking her backwards. She rolled gracefully to her feet, eyes flashing angrily, until he muttered a hurried explanation. Her expression calmed as she pulled her reiatsu back under her skin.

"What was that about?" Shunsui asked, startling Nanao and Juushiro as he flashed behind them.

Juushiro narrowed his eyes, studying the battlefield carefully. "If I had to guess, the monster was able to absorb Yoruichi-san's reiatsu without her being aware of the drain. Kisuke-san must have noticed, and taken the most efficient route to stop it."

Shunsui nodded absently, watching the fight carefully. "My, Kensei-san looks positively furious," he commented. The vizard, bleeding freely from numerous shallow cuts, stayed crouched on top of the monster, punching it repeatedly with one hand while pinning it with the other. Tachikaze's wind-based power buffeted the thing, but the damage healed as soon as he lifted his fist. That didn't deter the vizard, who relentlessly pounded into the creature's head. His mask had vanished at some point, but that didn't seem to matter to him either.

"Boss, there's nothing here," Tessai called, easily dodging a wild swing of a pincer. "No trace of any active spell that I can detect, and no remnants either."

Urahara tipped his hat down. "I suppose that's to be expected, since the transformation is complete," he sighed. He looked back at Yoruichi, smirking. "Want to beat up the monster, dear?" She rolled her eyes, but as the creature finally managed to heave Kensei off, she darted into the fray.

Shunsui pouted, phasing out of his gigai. The empty flesh shell crumpled to the ground as he drew his swords. "I suppose I should help out, too."

Urahara flashed him a mischievous grin. "Why, captain, are you planning on fighting as well?"

The lazy captain sighed. "Yeah. At this point, it looks like we just need to wear this thing out, and the more fighters we have the easier it will be to do that."

"True," Urahara commented, watching as Yoruichi and Kensei tag-teamed the creature. Every time it spun to attack one of them, the other hit it from behind. For some reason, it appeared reluctant to leave the spot in which it stood. Then Kensei stumbled, reiatsu dropping suddenly, and the reason became sickeningly clear. Crimson spatters dotted the grass all around the monster; every time it shuffled around, it swept clawed feet over the smears. It hadn't managed to inflict major wounds on the vizard, but apparently even a trickle of blood was enough to provide a connection to his reiatsu.

Nanao and Juushiro exchanged a quick glance, flashing to either side of the swaying vizard. They seized his arms in a tight grip and shunpoed away, while Shunsui and Urahara took his place in the fight. Kensei snarled irritably as they landed, but it was clear he was feeling dizzy and light-headed. Nanao let go of him, and he nearly fell on top of Juushiro before catching himself. The slender captain valiantly supported him, despite being significantly lighter.

Tessai hurried over, taking Kensei's weight from Juushiro. The pale captain flashed away to provide backup for the current combatants, while Tessai lowered Kensei to his knees. Together, he and Nanao healed the slashes across the vizard's back in seconds. The reiatsu drain was the larger issue, however, and that would take far longer to fix. Thankfully, the monster hadn't managed to completely snare Kensei's energy.

The former kido corps commander began the painstaking process of replenishing Kensei's reiatsu wells, waving Nanao's offer of help away. "You'll be more useful if you're ready to heal anyone else who gets injured," he pointed out sensibly. She nodded, returning her attention to the battle.

 _We really need to stop feeding these creatures our reiatsu_ , she thought worriedly as she watched the shinigami whirl around the insectoid monster. _First Hachi, then Love, and now Kensei and Yoruichi. At least this time it didn't get more than a taste from either soul reaper._ But this one was definitely stronger than the monster they'd fought earlier. Despite its lack of a full feeding, it moved like greased lightning.

It took a good twenty minutes of frantic combat before the first cracks began to appear in its carapace. As the bone fractured, glimpses of withered skin shone through. _That's new_ , Nanao realized. _It simply disintegrated last time_. Several kicks from Yoruichi, combined with a Shakkaho from Juushiro, blew away the chest armor entirely, and a slash from Urahara removed the snapping bone jaws. For a few brief seconds, they could see the form of a mummified human woman before the monster collapsed to the ground. Her electric blue eyes were open, staring sightlessly at the sky with pupil-less orbs. Nanao shivered at the eerie sight.

To her relief, the head was the first part to dissolve into ash. The rest of the body quickly followed, leaving only a pile of dust behind.

"Well, we learned a few lessons today," Urahara remarked, sheathing Benihime in her cane. He barely looked winded.

Yoruichi snorted. "Yeah, we did. Like, the damn things can apparently absorb pretty much any reiatsu that's not a direct attack, and even then it's iffy."

"Also, any wound, no matter how minor, must be treated immediately," Urahara supplied.

Kensei growled, pushing Tessai away. "Yeah, got that. Fuck these things." Juushiro directed a reprimanding stare at the vizard, who completely ignored him.

"Kensei-san, your reiatsu is not fully restored," Tessai said in his calm, deep voice.

"Whatever, it'll come back quick enough," Kensei muttered. His muscles were tense with frustration and humiliation at being taken out of the fight so quickly.

Urahara walked over to him, tapping his cane on the ground. "Kensei-san, I must thank you for your invaluable assistance," he announced, giving the vizard a pleased smile. "Without your bankai pinning down the creature, we would not have gained the valuable information we did."

"What information?" Nanao inquired curiously. She hadn't noticed anything particularly important, unless you counted the way every single one of their kidos slid off the monster's hide like water.

"That the transformation is not the result of a pure kido spell," Urahara explained smugly. "If it was, our modified Kurohitsugi should have had an effect, no matter how small. The creature simply shrugged it off. Admittedly, its transformation was nearly complete at that point, so we may have been too late. But I feel it's likely that another mechanism is at work. So therefore…" His gaze grew distant, fingers moving as he muttered to himself.

After several moments, Tessai prompted, "Boss, you were saying?"

"Hmm, oh, what?" Urahara responded absently.

"You're spacing again," Yoruichi pointed out dryly, emphasizing her point with a finger to his ribs. He squeaked. "What are you thinking about now?"

The former captain smirked. "Give me a few days in the lab, and you'll see."


	10. Breaking Expectations

**Author's Note:**

I really shouldn't have to say this, and if you've gotten this far in the story you probably don't need this warning, but if you post a homophobic, racist, sexist, or otherwise bigoted review, it will be deleted. If you've got a problem with two guys kissing, go read another story. If you've got a problem with ethical nonmonogamy, go read another story. If you don't like it when characters are outside of the heteronormative expectations, go read another story. Sensing a theme here?

Now, this chapter does contain descriptions of consensual kink. It's not explicit at all, but it is mentioned. If that's something you don't want to read about, don't read past the second horizontal line. After that, the plot will resume in the next chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Breaking Expectations  
**

Four days and three fights later, however, they were still no closer to an actual solution. No matter what Urahara tried, the transformations stubbornly continued. In desperation, Tessai had cast a time stop on the third monster they encountered. That spell, at least, had succeeded, halting the progress of the transfiguration and allowing them to bring the creature safely back to the lab. No one was quite sure why the monster couldn't absorb that spell as well, since its kido absorption didn't appear to be under conscious control, but they weren't about to question their good fortune.

For hours, Nanao, Juushiro, Tessai, Hachi, and Urahara threw everything they could think of at it, but to no avail. Urahara's most sophisticated detection equipment was blinded by the peculiar void that the creatures emanated. Their ability to absorb reiatsu, even when quiescent, made it impossible to discover what powered that skill. It could do so even when restrained or unconscious – or as close to unconscious as they could make it. With no way to turn that ability off, they were stymied.

Healing did nothing; there was nothing to heal as far as the kido could tell. None of them were doctors, to seek out the subtle causes of infections or cancers. If there was something wrong on a cellular level, they couldn't tell. But they couldn't justify bringing Captain Unohana to the living world either, not until they knew more about the problem. After all, they could kill the creatures without major injuries; they just couldn't reverse the change. So they were stuck.

Finally, Tessai released the monster from the time stop for the final time, allowing the vizards to beat it into the dirt in Urahara's underground training site. They'd tried every kido and combination of kido they could think about, only succeeding in luring in a horde of hollows attracted to the released reiatsu. The vizards approved of the chance to release tension, but the shinigami were growing frustrated. It was time to approach the problem from a different angle.

Urahara pulled up a map of the city on his giant screen, labeling every place where they'd found monsters. The little red dots scattered around the outskirts of the city, clustered near the poorer areas of town. There were far too few to display a pattern, but in some ways that was a good thing. It meant that this was not an epidemic yet.

Together, they added notes to each dot to describe the monster's appearance, transformation time, and time to disintegration. More notes at the top of the document explained everything they'd learned thus far about their capabilities and weaknesses – not that there were many of the latter. The kido masters added descriptions of the spells that had had an effect, however small. In the end, they had a document containing everything they knew about the creatures.

Shinji heaved a sigh, discouraged. "Are we going to have to always be on the lookout for these things now, as well as hollows?" he asked tiredly. All of the vizards showed the strain of the past few days; they'd been patrolling in shifts, and their exhaustion was growing.

Urahara tapped his fan on the map. "No. We can figure this out, we just need more data," he replied confidently. The shadows under his eyes told a slightly different story, however. When not fighting, he'd been holed up in his lab for hours on end, running every possible test he could think of. Yoruichi had confided that he hadn't slept more than a few hours over the past two days. The last time she'd seen him this worked up had been a hundred years ago.

"So how do we get that data?" Lisa asked skeptically. "Continue patrolling and hope we see more of them?" The prospect was not appealing to any of them. But what else could they do?

"With the updated detector we used for the past two alerts, patrolling shouldn't be necessary anymore," Urahara explained. "The algorithm is robust enough and sensitive enough to detect anomalies before they manifest as full-fledged monsters; your patrols over the past four days have proven that. There were no manifestations that went undetected, and every manifestation was reported with at least a half hour of warning."

Shinji heaved a sigh of relief, echoed by the other vizards. "So we can go back to our normal patrol patterns?" Though they didn't have an official schedule of patrols, they'd often have one or two bored vizards on alert for hollows at any given time. However, that was a far cry from the intensive patrols over the past few days: a minimum of four vizards or shinigami actively roaming the town at all hours of day and night. In practice, they'd usually had two scouting groups out at any one time, so no one was getting much sleep.

Urahara nodded. "So long as someone monitors the detector, that shouldn't be a problem."

Lisa grinned. "Wonderful! Then I suggest we all go get some sleep, and take a break till tonight."

"Then Nightfire?" Kensei inquired, spiritual pressure spiking with interest.

"Yep!" The slender vizard turned to the soul reapers. "Nightfire's a hot club, you'll love it." She winked at Shunsui, smirking. "Trust me. We go there all the time."

Shunsui returned her grin happily. "Is it that place you've told me about?" Her Cheshire Cat grin widened, and he laughed. "Then I'm sure I will." He slung an arm around Juushiro's waist, nuzzling his lover's hair. "Juu-chan, you'll come with us, right?" he purred.

The white-haired captain smiled up at his lover. "I suppose a break would do us all good."

"Perfect!" Lisa exclaimed. "I'll see you at your hotel around eight, then."

* * *

"Aww, come on, Nanao-chan, why won't you go to the club with us?" Shunsui whined, giving her his best puppy dog eyes. "Lisa-chan says it's a great place!" It was a few minutes before eight, and her captain had invaded her room with a ridiculously hopeful expression on his face.

Nanao sighed, not looking up from her book. "I'll have much more fun staying here and having a quiet evening in," she replied steadily. "I'm not the party type." _Besides, you feel like you're hiding something, and I'm not sure what it is. It can't be anything too terrible, but your reiatsu is vibrating the same way it does right before you give me one of your abominable gifts. Like you have a secret and you think I'll love it, but you know that's not actually likely_. She curled up more firmly in the oversized chair, tucking her feet underneath her.

"But Juu-chan is going!" Shunsui pleaded. He flopped down on the bed, bouncing like a five-year-old. "And it just wouldn't be the same without my Nanao-chan!"

She glared at him over the top of her glasses. "For the thousandth time, I am not your Nanao-chan." He pouted. "And besides, someone needs to stay here and monitor Urahara-san's weird device." She gestured to the machine whirring away happily on the desk. Every so often, it would emit a beep or pop before returning to its normal operation. "We can't risk missing another transformation; I don't even want to imagine the kind of chaos that would ensue if we did."

A soft knock sounded at the door, and Juushiro stuck his head in. "Shunsui, Lisa-san and the others are all ready and waiting."

Shunsui threw an arm over his face dramatically. "Oh, Juu-chan, save me! My Nanao-chan doesn't love me! She says she's not going to the club with us!"

Juushiro chuckled. "So respect her decision, and let's go. I'm sure Nanao would like to get back to her book." He smiled at Nanao. "Great choice of reading, by the way."

"Thank you, Ukitake-san," Nanao said calmly.

Shunsui whined, but allowed the white-haired captain to pull him up off the bed. "Fine. If you'd rather read some stuffy book than come have fun with all of us, be that way."

Juushiro patted him on the back consolingly. "It's not a stuffy book, you know. It's actually a fascinating description of the physics of the senkaimon and garganta, including a complete description of the kido necessary to create both of them. Much of it is original research by the author."

"Still sounds boring," Shunsui muttered, giving his lover a fond smile. "Are you sure, Nanao-chan?" he asked one last time.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, taicho, I'm sure. Go have fun."

When Shunsui looked like he was going to badger her some more, Juushiro hauled him out the door. "Have a lovely evening, Nanao-san," he called over his shoulder.

* * *

Hours later, Nanao was immersed in a particularly dense chapter describing the time dilation of the precipice world when a loud hissing made her jump. She looked over to see Urahara's invention spitting out smoke, lights flashing. The tiny television screen in the center of the machine crackled with the salt and pepper of static, and the weathervane above it spun wildly.

"And this is why I stayed here," she muttered to herself, closing her book gently. She strode over to the thing and gave it a sharp rap. It started whistling tunelessly. Nanao frowned, glaring at it, and slapped it again under the principle that, if it didn't work the first time, hit it harder. The whistling stopped, only to be replaced with an off-key version of some song from the 70s. "Why we ever thought that trusting Urahara's devices was a good idea…" Nanao sighed. But the screen had cleared to show a grainy picture of a featureless alleyway and a young man writhing on the dirty ground. Even with the poor video quality, he appeared to be in incredible pain. Nanao bit her lip, calculating. "If Urahara's assertions hold true, we've got about a half hour to get there before things really blow up. But if we miss that mark, and the creature is somewhere populated, we've got a serious problem." A fight was basically inevitable, but the resulting cleanup necessary after a battle near civilians could be avoided. Thankfully, all of their experimentation had produced one positive result: a kido to transport the mutating monsters, so long as they found them relatively early. Their reiatsu absorption wasn't fully mature until partway through the transformation.

She briefly debated trying to round up the few vizards who hasn't gone to the club, but she didn't know where they would be, or if they'd even be awake. Honestly, she didn't even know if any of them had stayed home. She didn't even bother to consider handling it on her own; one lone lieutenant stood no chance against the monsters.

 _No help for it_ , Nanao decided. _Hopefully a few of them are sober enough to fight_. She reached out with her reiatsu, searching for the wildfire that was her captain and the vizards. Even in their gigais they were easy to spot, given her experience tracking down Shunsui when he had absolutely no desire to be found. _There is one thing I can thank Urahara-san for_ , she mused as she launched into shunpo. _These special gigais that let you retain soul reaper powers come in rather handy at times like these_.

Within a minute, she landed at a nondescript door in an industrial complex, clutching one of the remote communicators. Its screen, synced with the bigger screen in the main device, still showed the man as human, but that could change at any time. Looking around, Nanao frowned. She could feel the spirit pressure of her captain, Juushiro, and the vizards behind the door, but this didn't look like a hot nightclub. There wasn't even a sign over the entryway. She shrugged. No help for it.

Pulling open the door, she found herself in a minuscule lobby, deserted except for the blond woman sitting behind the desk. "Um, I'm looking for my friends," Nanao started.

"First time here, dear?" the lady asked kindly. Nanao nodded. She could hear music playing in the room beyond, but it didn't have the overwhelming sound of most nightclubs. "Can I see your id?"

Nanao nodded, rummaging around in her pockets and finally producing the small plastic rectangle supplied by Urahara. She handed it to the woman, who scanned it briefly before returning it. "Since you're not a member, are you here to meet anyone? And if I could have you sign this release form…" She passed over a clipboard and pen.

"Lisa Yadomaru," Nanao replied after a pause, scanning the document hastily. _Ask the monitors before setting up a scene, no cameras or phones, the club is not held accountable for any injuries…wait, what? Injuries?_ But the insistent blinking of the communicator distracted her, and she scrawled a signature without reading the rest of the page.

"Oh, Lisa-san!" the woman responded cheerfully. "Well, if you're her friend, I'll let her take care of the orientation. Go right on in and have fun!" Nanao blinked. While Lisa had said that she attended the club frequently, Nanao hadn't exactly expected her to be that well-known.

A buzzer sounded, and Nanao heard the door at the other end of the little lobby unlock. Thanking the receptionist, she hurried through into a hot, dimly lit room roughly the size of the main office at the 8th. As her eyes adjusted, Nanao blushed. Most of the inhabitants of the room wore very little clothing. Sprawled on couches or pillows, they chatted casually, seemly unconcerned about their state of undress. Nanao averted her eyes from several couples whose hands were wandering rather more than she thought proper in public, and began picking her way through the room.

 _What kind of place is this?_ she thought irritably as she passed several giggling girls making out against a wall. _Trust my captain to come to some sort of perverted club like this. I can't believe he convinced Juushiro to come too, though_. A flare of reiatsu made her head turn, and she spotted long white hair thrown over the back of a couch. Even in the dim lighting, Juushiro's hair practically glowed. She strode over, keeping a wary eye on the communicator hidden in her palm.

As she stepped around a pile of pillows, finally catching sight of her friends, she stopped in her tracks. Shunsui had one hand tangled in Juushiro's hair, tugging the pale captain's head back, while Shunsui nibbled on his exposed neck. Her captain's other hand pinned Juushiro's wrists above him. Both men were shirtless, and Juushiro had somehow acquired a leather collar with a d-ring in front. Lisa lounged next to them in a leather corset and miniskirt, complete with thigh-high, spiky boots. A riding crop dangled from her wrist, and she played with it idly as she chatted with Shinji. The blond vizard was wearing a fishnet shirt and tight black jeans; his tongue piercing flashed as he talked. Nanao noted with a corner of her mind that he'd gotten his nipples pierced at some point, as well. None of the other vizards were visible, but Nanao could still sense their reiatsu, so they couldn't be far.

She took several steps closer to the group and cleared her throat. Shunsui looked up, startled, and grinned. "So my lovely Nanao-chan has come to join us after all!" he cheered. He released Juushiro's wrists, but kept a hold on his hair, pulling the pale shinigami even closer. Juushiro's half-closed eyes looked hazy as he dragged his fingers down Shunsui's chest. Nanao blushed, and kept her eyes focused firmly above Shunsui's head. It was one thing to know that the two were lovers, but they were generally more discreet about it. Or rather, Juushiro was more circumspect; she'd walked in on Shunsui in compromising positions with numerous girls over the years. Admittedly, she'd never felt quite so awkward during those times.

"Sir, we received an alert," she announced, doing her best to ignore the bizarre situation and the way her skin felt too hot. Then a scream from out of nowhere made her flinch. "Captain, what the hell is this place?" she demanded.

Lisa smirked. "Welcome to Club Nightfire. Hottest place in town for the scene." She tossed the crop to Shinji and took Nanao's unresisting hand. "Come on, I'll show you around."

The petite shinigami tried to pull away, but Lisa refused to let go. "We really don't have time for this," Nanao pointed out.

Lisa grabbed the communicator from her and examined the display briefly. "It'll take us a minute to shunpo over, and he's got at least twenty minutes to go," she replied. "Now come on!" She led Nanao through another doorway, brushing aside the curtain casually.

When Nanao got a good look at the room beyond, she froze and tried to back up. "Lisa-san, I really don't think…" she began to say.

"Oh come on, it's not that bad," Lisa laughed. She gestured to the room as a whole. "Anything look like fun?"

Nanao wanted to sink through the ground in embarrassment. She stared at her toes, not knowing where else to look. Directly in front of them, on a low stage, a dark-haired girl laughed as she swung from the ceiling in a rope harness. Her hands were bound behind her back, and her feet pulled up high, so she was partially inverted. A blond woman laughed with her as she spun the girl in a wide circle. Near the stage, a tall guy clad in heavy jeans and work boots wielded a leather whip against a girl bound to a wooden x. She had been the one screaming, apparently. Nanao glanced up as she yelped again, only to quickly avert her eyes. A growl and reiatsu flare drew her unwilling attention to a metal cage in the corner. A muscular silver-haired man had another male pinned face-first against the bars, biting into the muscle joining shoulder and neck.

"Is that Muguruma-san?" Nanao asked quietly.

Lisa glanced over. "Yep, looks like he's found himself a play partner for the night. Good, he needs it." Nanao winced as Kensei spun the guy around and dropped him to the floor roughly, but the stranger didn't seem to mind.

"Nanao-san? Didn't expect to see you here," a voice drawled from behind them. Nanao spun hastily to see a latex-covered Yoruichi holding a leash, with silver metal claws sparkling on her fingertips. She tugged on the leash and pulled Urahara forward, who gave them a grin but remained uncharacteristically silent.

Nanao couldn't help the question that came out of her mouth before she could stop it: "Why are you wearing a leash?"

Yoruichi dragged her claws down Urahara's spine, making him shiver. "He can't answer that right now, unfortunately. He's on a leash because he deserves it." Nanao looked at her incredulously, and she smirked. "He thought it would be funny to take me for a walk when I was in cat form, and used kido to make sure I couldn't get out of the harness. Now he gets to see what it's like on the other end of the chain."

"I don't even want to know," Nanao muttered. "But we got an alert on his device, which is why I'm here." She turned to Lisa, a pleading expression in her eyes. "Now can we get out of here?"

Lisa sighed. "You need to loosen up, live a little. But we should probably get going."

Urahara looked up at Yoruichi and shifted his feet, making Nanao realized that his hands were bound behind his back. She looked over at him and grinned. "Alright, you can speak to them."

"Will you want any assistance with this? I'd be happy to help out." He glanced at Yoruichi furtively.

Lisa glanced around. "Let's see. Hiyori and Hachi are at home, Mashiro and Kensei are playing, and I've got no idea where Love or Rose disappeared to. But we've got plenty of people I think." She grinned mischievously. "And I think Yoruichi has plans for you." The feline shinigami bared her teeth playfully, and Urahara sighed. Lisa hooked Nanao's elbow with her arm, pulling the younger soul reaper close. "We'll be fine."

Nanao sighed. "Only if we get going now."

"Alright, alright," Lisa complained. "But you're not getting off the hook that easily. I'm dragging you back here sometime, when things calm down." When Nanao started to protest, Lisa ruffled her hair like she used to do when Nanao was little. "Don't worry, you won't have to do anything."

Nanao gave up, figuring that she could always dispute Lisa's plans later. Right now, they had a monster to track down. The two trooped out of the room to find Juushiro curled up in Shunsui's lap while the lazy captain traced random patterns on his back. Shinji lounged on the couch next to them, watching several nearly-naked girls wrestle. Nanao tried not to stare at her captain and his partner as she halted in front of them, arms crossed. "Sir? We need to leave now," she announced calmly.

Shunsui looked up at her and sighed. "My darling Nanao-chan doesn't want to join us then?" She stared at him coldly. He pouted, giving her a hurt expression.

"Taicho, we really need to go, we're on a timer." She showed him the communicator for emphasis. The man had stopped writhing on the ground, and now clutched at the dirt desperately as his back arched.

Shunsui sighed, and hooked a finger into the d-ring of Juushiro's collar. He pulled the pale captain up to face him, planting a gentle kiss on his lips. "Juu-chan, we need to go," he murmured.

Juushiro blinked and shook his head. "Yes, yes of course," he sighed. Then he looked over at Nanao and blushed, apparently realizing exactly what position he was in. He sat up, shaking out his long hair with a faint smile.

"Now where did we put those shirts?" Shunsui mused, looking around in puzzlement. Nanao rolled her eyes. She'd spotted the fabric piled in a heap as soon as she walked in. She grabbed it, tossing the shirts to the two captains without a word. "Ah, thank you!" Shunsui exclaimed, delighted. "My Nanao-chan takes such good care of me!" He grinned at her, reaching out for her hand. "She deserves a kiss!"

Nanao slapped his wrist sharply. "Sir," she warned. Not that she thought he would actually do anything – Shunsui did understand boundaries, though he pretended not to – but it was reflex at this point.

"So mean!" he complained.

Lisa laughed. "Aww, poor Shunsui-kun, never getting any love. Don't worry, I'll always be here for you!"

"So you'll let me kiss you then?" Shunsui asked cheerfully.

Lisa tilted her head to one side, eyeing him thoughtfully. "Maybe if you ask nicely."

Juushiro laughed when Shunsui dropped to a knee, staring up as Lisa beseechingly. "Oh, my gorgeous Lisa-chan, whose hair is as black as a moonless night and whose eyes sparkle like diamonds, will you favor your poor, lonely suitor with a single kiss from your lily-white lips? I would be the happiest man alive if you would deign to show such favor!"

She nudged him with a spiky toe. "Continue." Shinji passed her the riding crop, snickering, and she tapped it against her thigh.

Shunsui spread his hands pleadingly, crouching lower (and probably getting a nice view up her skirt, not that Lisa seemed to mind). "My darling, your skin is as soft as a kitten's fur, your breasts as remarkable and enticing as the full moon, your taste more delicious than sake." Nanao couldn't help laughing as her taicho prostrated himself at his former lieutenant's feet. "I could write a thousand poems to your beauty, but no words can describe such a goddess!"

Lisa's lips quirked as she suppressed a smile. "Very well, I suppose that deserves a kiss," she allowed. Then she squeaked as Shunsui caught her and bent her backwards into a dramatic backbend, capturing her lips with his. Nanao suspected that he'd used shunpo to move that fast; no normal human could go from basically flat on the floor to standing so easily.

When they showed no signs of breaking the lip-lock, and Shunsui's hand began to wander up Lisa's thigh, she intervened. "All right, that's enough. We have a mission, you know."

Reluctantly, Shunsui stood back up, pulling Lisa with him. "I suppose you're right. Though I'd be much more motivated with a kiss from your fair lips as well," he suggested slyly. Nanao smacked him over the back of the head. Undeterred, he attempted to capture her hand and bring her closer to him.

Juushiro, fully clothed and looking much less flustered, rose. "Shunsui, leave her alone. I'm not healing you the next time she puts you through a wall due to your inappropriate comments," he teased. "And she's right, we have a job to do."

Shunsui grumbled under his breath, but did put his shirt back on. He carefully unbuckled the collar around Juushiro's throat, making the white-haired captain shiver, and turned to Nanao. "Alright, lead the way!"


	11. Battle Strategies Actually Work

**Author's Note:**

If you didn't like the last chapter, I apologize; hopefully this one is better. Thank you to Fading Into The Background for the review, I'm glad to know someone liked it! Even if you don't like something, though, please review, I like to know what people are thinking. I'm trying to keep the characters as in-character as possible, but we really don't see them on screen very often, and I haven't read the manga. There's a fair amount I'm inventing, since their on-screen actions tend to be relatively one-dimensional. So they may come across differently from the way other writers have envisioned them.

Club Nightfire, the kink club described in the previous chapter, is an amalgam of the ones I've been to, and I tried to keep the descriptions as true to life as possible. Kink is not like 50 Shades of Gray (which is a terrible, terrible book): it's very focused on consent, fairly social, and very accepting of difference. It's often playful and nonsexual, though it can span the gamut of possible emotions. It's actually pretty common for many of the people at the club to simply hang out and socialize, while others play.

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Battle Strategies Actually Work  
**

Once they were out of the club, Nanao held out the communicator and let everyone gather around it. "I got the alert slightly over twenty minutes ago now, which means the human should be approximately halfway through the transformation."

Shinji frowned, staring down at the minuscule screen. "It's hard to tell, but it doesn't look like it's progressing quite the same way as any of the prior times," he pointed out.

Juushiro nodded. "I don't recall any large protrusions from the spine, and it almost appears like he's growing some sort of wings."

Shunsui shrugged. "Can't know for sure till we get there." They launched into shunpo, following Nanao, who in turn traced the faint reiatsu of the soon-to-be monster. She may have been only a fukutaicho, but her reiatsu sensitivity was unparalleled – none of them could match it. Though the monster's spirit energy fluctuated and writhed, she followed the trail unerringly. In only a few breaths, they landed on the rooftops overlooking the alleyway containing the transforming human.

By then, the man hardly resembled a human at all. His spine had lengthened and bowed outwards, producing a hunchback shape, and his arms dragged on the ground in front of him. Massive bone spurs protruded from his shoulder blades, trailing tattered skin. They almost resembled bat wings, but lacked the outer bone edge. His legs had mutated and shifted so the knees bent backwards and his hips rolled forwards as if they'd been dislocated. Wicked ivory claws had sprouted from the backs of his hands and feet. If he was anything like the prior monsters, those claws could cut through basically anything without pausing. The head was the worst. A reptilian muzzle, complete with rows of jagged fangs, jutted out from where the mouth should have been. The eye sockets were sunken, covered by plates of bone that extended into curving horns above his head. The whole creature had a disturbing sort of symmetry to it, but there was a distinct roughness to the transformation.

As they watched grimly, the man arched his back and screamed. The sound was nothing that could have come from a human throat. Shunsui shivered. "That gives me the creeps. Like nails on a chalkboard."

"You had to use that metaphor, didn't you," Juushiro sighed. "Just thinking of that makes me wince."

The creature below them rolled over, pawing at the sky with its mutating hands. Barely enough remained to tell that it had once been a thin man wearing ragged clothes, probably no more than thirty years old. Nanao was glad its eyes had already vanished; seeing human eyes in such a monstrous face was incredibly disturbing. She spotted a battered tarp strung over a worn-out sleeping bag, with an old backpack beside it, and gestured to the others. "I think he was living here. We should collect that if we can, see if there's anything odd about it. Maybe some of his gear will have traces of reiatsu that could help."

Lisa nodded. "Got it." She flickered out and reappeared down below, scooping up the backpack and sleeping bag. A second later, and she materialized on the rooftop again. The creature didn't even flinch.

"You know, we really need a name for these things," Shinji drawled. "We can't just keep referring to them as monsters or things or whatever."

"How about terrifying doom beasts?" Shunsui joked. The monster picked that moment to howl again. This time, they could all feel the spiritual pressure shift as it glared at the watching shinigami. "What, not a good name?" the flamboyant captain inquired laughingly.

"Talk about it later," Nanao urged hurriedly. She hastily built a kido in her mind, hurling it at the newly-named doom beast. "Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro!" The yellow light impaled the monster, freezing it in place. It snarled up at her, and she could already feel it beginning to break free. "Hurry!" she gasped. Shunsui exploded out of his gigai, drawing his blades, and flashed downwards. Shinji and Lisa followed a heartbeat later, not bothering to leave their special gigai. Juushiro drew kido energy into his hands, and cast, "Bakudo 63: Sajo Sabaku!" A golden chain whipped around the creature, reinforcing its weakening bonds. Shunsui took advantage of its momentary paralysis to stab through its chest, while Shinji cut deeply across its neck. Neither strike would kill it; they hadn't come up with anything that would do that instantaneously. The damn things could heal from anything. But the more injuries it took, the more spirit energy it lost. If this one followed the same pattern as the others, it would eventually crumble due to lost reiatsu.

 _The trick_ , Nanao thought grimly, _is in not allowing it to drain reiatsu from you in the process_. They'd learned that lesson already. And it appeared that this monster was just as quick to discover its abilities as the last one. Finding that it couldn't physically force its way out of the kido bonds, it began absorbing them through its scaly skin. Both Nanao and Juushiro broke their kido, forcing the energy to dissipate before the doom beast could get more than a taste.

Now free, it lunged at Shinji, only to have Lisa flip over its head and drive her zanpakuto down into its spine. It wailed, spinning to slash at her, but she tumbled effortlessly out of reach. As soon as it turned its back on Shinji, he struck, opening a wide gash on its thigh. Any normal creature would have been disabled with its hamstring cut, but these things weren't affected by injuries like that. Within moments, that wound, as well as the others, had sealed.

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado number 33: Sokatsui!" Nanao called, aiming the stream of blue fire at the furious monster. It howled as the flames ate into its back, exposing its spine before the blast ended.

"Hado 54: Haien," Juushiro added before the thing could regain its balance. The glowing purple disk cut through its legs, severing them at the knee. Lisa swooped in as it roared, adding a deep cut across its shoulder blades. It swiped viciously at her, moving with unnerving speed, and managed to catch her on the calf as she danced away. Though she didn't make a sound, Nanao could see blood dripping down her leg.

"Get up here!" she yelled, concerned.

"I'm fine," Lisa growled back. She and Shinji attacked in tandem, scoring several more blows, but at a price. When they retreated, Shinji was bleeding freely from a gash on his arm and Lisa had a shallow cut on her thigh.

"You know what that thing will do if it gets ahold of your blood," Nanao scolded. "Get up here before it does!"

Juushiro slipped out of his gigai, unsheathing his zanpakuto. "I'll take their places while you get them healed," he promised, shunpoing down into the alleyway. Lisa and Shinji reluctantly flashed up to the rooftops, grumbling under their breaths.

Nanao immediately pressed a healing kido against Lisa's thigh, peeling back the leather skirt to assess the damage. "Not bad, but you both know full well why we fight them in teams," she muttered.

"Yeah, whatever," Shinji sighed. "These creeps aren't so bad."

"These creeps," she responded severely, "can drain your reiatsu dry in moments if they get ahold of a sufficient quantity of your blood. So you get all wounds healed, as soon as you take them. We discussed this." She finished with Lisa's injuries, and turned to the other vizard. "Now let me heal you." Shinji glared, but held out his arm anyway.

When the healing began to take effect, he sighed. "That does feel better. Thanks." As soon as she lifted her hands away, both vizards flashed back to the battle. Juushiro rejoined her moments later, breathing heavily.

"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

He flashed her a quick smile. "I'm fine. But I think they're getting faster. It was matching mine and Shunsui's speed, and we weren't holding back much at all. If they keep getting stronger at this rate, someone's going to get seriously injured."

She bit her lip and fired off another kido. A howl of pain rewarded her as she turned back to the pale captain. "Truly? What should we do?"

He frowned, looking down at the battle raging below. "I don't know. There may be a way to slow them back down, but Urahara-san hasn't discovered it yet." In a momentary lull of the combat, he blasted off his own kido, striking the doom beast squarely in the head. "We need a quicker way of killing them. Waiting for them to exhaust themselves is hardly the best strategy."

Nanao flinched as Shunsui mistimed a dodge, getting caught squarely in the chest with the ragged edge of a claw. Shinji pushed him out of the way as the monster tried to hook him, severing the limb, but the damage had been done. Before she could say anything, Juushiro flashed down again, and Shunsui appeared in his place.

"You're a guardian angel," he said hoarsely as she laid her palms flat on his chest. His skin was sticky with sweat and blood, and he was breathing heavily.

"How are things going?" she asked quietly, pouring healing energy into the gash.

"As well as can be expected," he said casually. "Much better now that such a pretty girl has her hands on me!"

She kicked him lightly in the shin. "Keep that up and I'll tell Lisa-san about that time you burned all the paperwork to ash and then told her it must have gotten lost," she threatened.

"You wouldn't!" Shunsui gasped, mock-horrified.

"Oh yes I would, if you don't keep your comments to yourself," she warned.

He lifted his hands into the air. "They're to myself! I promise! Don't tell Lisa-chan!"

"Don't tell Lisa what?" The vizard materialized on the rooftop just in time to hear Shunsui's last sentence.

"Nothing!" the flamboyant captain spluttered. "Got to go, sorry!" He flashed back to the fight, catching a claw a breath away from smashing into Juushiro's side.

Lisa laughed, and looked back at Nanao questioningly. "So, what did he not want me to know?"

She shook her head. "I'll tell you later. Where are you hurt?" Lisa peeled off her corset, revealing a nasty gouge as well as her naked breasts. Nanao blushed as she laid her hand over the wound. Summoning a gentle spell, she quickly pulled the flesh back together. As the former fukutaicho walked to the edge of the roof, Nanao coughed. "Aren't you going to put your corset back on?"

"Nah," Lisa shrugged. "It'll just get more damaged, and I like it too much for that. Plus, I can't wait to see Shunsui's face!"

The younger soul reaper rolled her eyes. "Don't distract him from the fight."

"Oh, he'll be fine," the vizard promised with a grin.

"Sure he will," Nanao muttered. "I've seen what he's like whenever there's a pretty girl flashing skin, and you're doing a bit more than that." Sure enough, moments later, Shunsui reappeared on the rooftop, eyes glazed. He was gripping an ugly slash on his bicep and grinning like an idiot.

"Best way to fight ever!" he enthused as she healed him again. "My Nanao-chan should follow her example."

"Then you'd have two women to stare at, and you'd get yourself killed," Nanao responded calmly. "Now go back and fight, and don't spend too long looking at Lisa-san's breasts."

Shunsui smirked. "No promises there." But he vanished off the rooftop, and didn't immediately reappear, so he must have been focusing on the combat somewhat.

Instead, Shinji popped back up, panting. "Just taking a break," he reassured her when she moved towards him. "I'm fine, just getting tired. That thing packs a real wallop."

"Has it started to disintegrate yet?" she asked worriedly.

"Maybe a little. It's hard to tell, since it's still healing wounds nearly as fast as we can inflict them, but does look like it might be getting slower."

Nanao strode to the edge of the roof, watching as the three shinigami dueled the monster. They all sprang backwards simultaneously, and she tossed a ball of red flame down. "Time to use binding kido again?" she inquired.

Shinji shrugged. "Give it another few minutes." She hurled another fireball down, smiling slightly as the creature roared in pain. "Good shot," Shinji complimented. "Alright, I'm back into it. Keep yourself safe up here." She nodded, and he shunpoed away, pulling his mask down over his face.

All four fighters pressed the doom beast fiercely for another minute, until a lucky swing of its claws caught Juushiro by surprise. He pulled back and Shunsui swung in, allowing his partner time to retreat. The blow had snagged on his shihakusho, not his skin, but it was far too close for comfort. Nanao began preparing a kido in her head, chanting under her breath, "Walls of iron sand, a priestly pagoda, glowing ironclad fireflies. Standing upright, silent to the end."

Finally Shunsui looked up and barked, "Now!"

"Bakudo number 75: Gochutekkan!" she screamed in reply. She smashed her hands together above her head, and five golden orbs materialized. They slammed downwards, transforming into five pillars connected by iron chains, and pinned the doom beast to the ground. All four shinigami plunged their blades into its back, doing as much damage as they could in the few seconds her spell could restrain it. She felt the first tug on her reiatsu, and cut the connection. The pillars disappeared, but it had accomplished its goal. The doom beast whirled, slashing out blindly, but only taking more damage in the process.

Seconds later, Juushiro appeared on the rooftop and hurled his own bakudo at the wounded monster. This time, when he lifted the binding, the doom beast didn't immediately return to fighting. It staggered forwards a few steps, almost falling over its own hands, before lashing out slowly. Shunsui severed its arm, and Shinji sliced through one of its wing-protrusions. Dust rolled over the injuries as it tried to regenerate, but the fighters weren't about to let that happen. They slashed at it again and again, and slowly it crumpled to the ground. Gradually, its human form began to reemerge, and Nanao winced.

"It's like butchering an animal at this point," she sighed.

Juushiro patted her shoulder comfortingly. "I wish there was a way to return these people to their normal state," he murmured sadly, "but by the time they get to this point there's nothing left to heal."

Nanao shook her head. "I know." Even now that was becoming apparent, as the emerging human body withered and shrunk. "But that doesn't make it better." Juushiro simply nodded.

The fight, though it hardly deserved the name at that point, ended quickly after that. Just like previous times, they were left with little more than a pile of dust and bone fragments, mixed with a few rags. Lisa scooped it all up anyway, depositing it into special sealed jars provided by Urahara. "Maybe he'll be able to get something new from it," she sighed, though they all knew it was unlikely.

"At least we have the man's possessions," Juushiro pointed out gently. "They may contain some useful information." Lisa shrugged.

Nanao walked over to the tarp, miraculously unharmed during the battle. A glint of something had caught her eye at the beginning of the fight, but she'd almost forgotten about it until she spotted something shining in the moonlight. She crouched next to the makeshift shelter and saw a metal spoon, crusted with some kind of pale residue, next to a dingy paper packet. "Guys?" she called. "I think you should look at this."

Shinji trotted over. "Find something?" She gestured to the spoon, not wanting to touch it and contaminate any possible reiatsu traces. His eyes narrowed. "So our dead guy was a junkie."

Lisa walked over, peering down at the finds. "Guess that explains why he was living on the streets. Well, let's bag it and let Urahara take a look." She scooped the spoon and packet into a baggie with a gloved hand, then dropped the plastic glove in the bag as well. "I don't know about you, but I want a long, hot bath," she sighed, stretching her arms above her head.

"I'll wash your back for you," Shunsui offered, eyeing her breasts appreciatively.

She arched her back, well aware of his scrutiny. "Like what you see?" Shinji scoffed, turning away, and Lisa glared at him.

Nanao passed the vizard her corset. "You must be cold, Lisa-san," she said diplomatically.

"Spoilsport," Shunsui muttered. Juushiro chuckled, resting his head on his old friend's shoulder. Shunsui wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him in closer.

Lisa finished lacing up her corset, enjoying the way Shunsui's eyes lingered on her movements. She teasingly spun around and bent over, giving him a lovely view of her butt as she picked the sample jars up off the ground. "Well, Nanao and I have some girl talk to catch up on," she announced offhandedly. "So we're going back to her room. See you in the morning!"

Nanao looked at her. "We do?" Lisa nodded firmly, and Nanao didn't argue. When Lisa got that tone in her voice, it was best to just go along with her.

"What about that bath?" Shunsui pouted.

"I'll let Nanao-chan wash my back, how's that?" the vizard laughed.

Shunsui smirked. "Can I watch?" Nanao let kido fire flare around her hand, and he backed up. "I mean, have a lovely evening!" he said hurriedly. "Juu-chan, let's go find a drink, somewhere far away from these gorgeous ladies!"

Shinji chuckled. "I know just the place. Come on, you two." Both soul reapers resumed their gigais, and all three flashed away.

Lisa chuckled. "You've gotten good at managing him, haven't you?" she said admiringly. Nanao just smiled. "Let's go, I wasn't kidding about how good that bath would feel."

"The hotel has a hot tub," Nanao informed her. "We'll need to shower beforehand, but then we can soak as long as we want."

"Sounds perfect!" Lisa grinned and seized the younger soul reaper's hand, flashing towards their temporary accommodations.


	12. Hidden Costs

**Author's Note:**

The Bechdel test is a simple test often applied to movies or other fictional works. To pass, the work must have two female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. It's a measure of the sexism prevalent in the film industry that roughly half of all films fail the test. I'm not sure the anime version of Bleach passes, though it certainly has enough characters that it should be able to. However, the main female characters are always shown with the guys, and I can't remember any substantive conversations they've had on their own.

This chapter is, in part, my way of making sure this story passes the Bechdel test. The first 75 pages of my story didn't actually contain a real conversation between two women, which made me rather sad to realize. Part of that is due to the gender imbalance of Bleach, but I'd like my story to avoid exemplifying the same sexism. Unfortunately, I also needed this chapter to move the romance sub-plot forward, so I'm still not sure if it counts as passing the test.

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Hidden Costs  
**

 _I have to admit, this was a great idea_ , Nanao sighed to herself as she sunk into the hot water blissfully. Even though she hadn't been fighting herself, healing injuries always left you feeling echoes of the other person's pain, and using that much kido was exhausting.

Lisa chuckled at the peaceful look on the fukutaicho's face. "Feels good, doesn't it?"

Nanao nodded lazily. "So how have you been? I saw you on the screens Kurotsuchi Taicho set up during the battle with Aizen, but we weren't allowed to make contact afterwards."

Lisa sighed ruefully. "Another one of the old man's nonsensical orders?" It wasn't a question, but Nanao nodded anyway. Lisa grimaced. "It was busy down here for a while, cleaning up after the battle. All the low-level hollows from Aizen's army who weren't killed immediately basically went crazy. Or crazier than usual, anyway. But it's better now."

"I'm glad," Nanao said softly. She paused, chewing on her lower lip, then added, "I missed you. Are you going to come back?"

Lisa shrugged one shoulder uncomfortably. "I don't know. They discarded us like trash, after decades of loyal service as captains and lieutenants. It doesn't particularly make us eager to return."

Nanao sighed, flicking a sideways glance at her former mentor. "You're always welcome at the eighth, you know," she promised.

"What, and take your position away from you?" Lisa gave her a sideways hug, shaking her head firmly. "No way. You've earned that fair and square, from what I've seen." Her expression turned speculative. "But tell me, how did you get it?"

Nanao laughed. "I think it's because I was the only one able to do the paperwork and put up with Kyoraku-san!"

"There must be more to it then that," Lisa urged.

Nanao shrugged. "After you vanished, I don't think he kept a lieutenant for more than a year. His bad habits and constant drunkenness drove them off. Our third and fourth seats did their best, but they usually didn't remain for too long either." She looked down, eyes tracing the trail of bubbles curling out from the jets. "He was so depressed, it was painful to be around him for too long."

Lisa flinched. "I wish we could have told him we were fine," she murmured guiltily.

"He searched for you unceasingly, but to no avail," Nanao returned sadly. She shook her head, trying to dislodge the uncomfortable mood. "Anyway, I was the fifth seat during the American bombing of World War Two. Our third seat died fighting the hollows that swarmed to the massacre, and our fourth was severely wounded. I basically took over their duties, as well as those of the lieutenant, since no one else could." Those had been difficult days. No more than an hour or two of sleep a night, and the constant press of unsettled reiatsu.

Lisa stared at her, eyes wide. "How did you survive that?"

"Ukitake-san helped immensely," Nanao admitted. "He taught me what I needed to do, helped me with some of the more difficult paperwork. I didn't have to do much of the training, either. With so many wounded, we were hard-pressed to complete all of our necessary duties. Training was up to the individual, except for the very newest members."

"Still," Lisa replied, sounding stunned, "that's an incredible burden for any one soul reaper."

"It was fairly stressful," Nanao allowed, "but beneficial as well. Once Kyoraku-san recovered, Ukitake-san chewed him out quite thoroughly. After promoting me to lieutenant, he began to pull some of his own weight."

"Only some?" Lisa commented dryly. "That sounds like him. Still, how is it, being lieutenant?"

Nanao smiled. "Wonderful," she said honestly. "Not perfect, but nothing is."

Lisa grinned at her. "I'm glad to hear it!" She reached over and patted Nanao's shoulder. "Look at my little Nanao, all grown up."

Nanao wrinkled her nose at the vizard. "Must you?"

Lisa smirked. "You'll always be little Nanao to me."

Nanao laughed wryly, shaking her head with exasperation. "You and Kyoraku. But no matter. What have you been up to all this time?"

Lisa launched into a story of her own, and they traded tales until Nanao's fingers were as wrinkled as prunes. At last a lull in the conversation fell, and she asked, "So you said you had something you wanted to talk about. Was that real, or just an excuse to leave the guys behind?"

Lisa grinned, and turned to face her. "Alright, girl, I saw the look on your face in the club! Spill it!"

"There's nothing to tell," Nanao protested.

Lisa wasn't buying it. "I saw the way you were looking at them. Which one? Shunsui or Juushiro? They're both hot, especially with their shirts off."

Nanao blushed fiercely, turning away. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on, you can't at least admit that they're hot? Man, you really need to loosen up!" Lisa grinned. "Both great in bed, too, if the stories are anything to go by. And I can confirm that the tales about Shunsui, at least, are entirely true."

Nanao splashed her. "I did not need to know that!"

"What, like you've never wondered," Lisa returned, all too accurately for Nanao's peace of mind. "Or do you like Juushiro better? You two do have the same taste in books, after all, and he's damn attractive with that long white hair and all. Gorgeous when he's being all submissive, too." Nanao choked, and Lisa smirked. "You did notice that collar, didn't you? He's a switch, and usually tops, but when he decides to submit…" She trailed off, grinning.

"Yeah, so?" Nanao muttered under her breath. "I can't believe we're talking about this."

The older soul reaper laughed. "You need a good dose of girl talk if this is shocking to you. When was the last time you got some, anyway?"

Nanao felt like her face was on fire. "I…That's none of your business!"

Lisa patted her on the shoulder. "That long ago, huh?" Nanao spluttered, but she couldn't really deny the truth of that.

"You're incorrigible," she sighed.

Lisa fluttered her eyelashes. "And you love me for it," she teased. "Now come on, spill! At least tell me you think they're hot."

"Fine," Nanao said resignedly. "They're hot. Happy?"

Lisa cheered. "Good! Now which one is better?"

"They aren't pieces of meat," Nanao replied firmly. "Both Kyoraku-san and Ukitake-san are my friends, I'm not going to rate them."

Lisa sighed. "You're no fun." She leaned back against the tiled wall, pulling the younger girl closer next to her. "So what'd you think of Nightfire?" She began to undo Nanao's bun, running her fingers through the soft dark hair like she used to do as the fukutaicho of the eighth.

"How'd you find that place, anyway?" Nanao asked, dodging the question.

"The internet, of course. Everything's out there if you know where to look for it," Lisa replied matter-of-factly.

Before she could continue, Nanao interjected, "But why look for it in the first place?"

Lisa laughed. "Honey, if you're that naïve, I clearly need to teach you a few things! Didn't you notice all the gorgeous boys and girls?" Nanao frowned, and Lisa continued a bit more seriously. "It's enjoyable, and a great way to relieve tension. Plus, our inner hollows love it. The power play, the rush when someone submits to you fully – or when you give in to someone else if you swing that way – is incredible. And the sex is great!" She winked at Nanao. "But you didn't answer my question."

Nanao stifled a groan. She should have known her former mentor wouldn't drop the topic. "It was," she paused, "interesting. Awkward. And I really didn't need to see Kyoraku Taicho half-naked."

Lisa snorted. "I'm betting you've seen him with way less clothing than that, at least if he's kept up the patterns he preferred when I was his fukutaicho."

"Well, yes," Nanao responded slowly, "but that's not the same." Showing up at his house to drag him into work sometime after lunch, often throwing out his bedmate of the previous evening, had resulted in her seeing her captain in various stages of undress numerous times. And that didn't include the occasional trips to the beach or hot springs, where he appeared to possess no sense of modesty whatsoever. But for some reason, seeing him at the club with Juushiro looking almost stoned in his arms was different.

"How?" Lisa asked logically, echoing the question running through Nanao's mind.

Nanao thought about it, nibbling on her lower lip. "I don't know," she admitted. "It just is." For one thing, seeing him and Juushiro like that had made heat pool in her stomach in a most disconcerting way.

Lisa gave her a penetrating look, but didn't press it. "There," she declared, laying a braid over Nanao's shoulder. "Perfect." She patted Nanao on the head. "I'll figure it out eventually," she warned cheerfully.

"There's nothing to figure out," Nanao protested wearily. Even to herself, her tone sounded weak.

Lisa laughed softly. "Would you rather I ask if you saw anything you liked at the club? Anything that you want to try?"

"No!" Nanao blurted out quickly.

The older vizard slung an arm around her, pulling her closer. "Well, if you think of anything, let me know. It doesn't have to be serious, you know, or sexual. It can be a lot of simple, innocent fun." Nanao favored her with a look, and she amended, "Mostly innocent, at any rate." Nanao rolled her eyes, and Lisa pouted. "So disbelieving and cynical, at your age."

"If Kyoraku's puppy-dog eyes don't work on me, yours won't either," Nanao pointed out, hiding a smile.

"But see, I'm not trying to get you into bed with me!" Lisa explained cheerfully. "Not that you're not a gorgeous girl," she winked at Nanao, "but I don't think you swing that way. So that should make you much more likely to listen to me!"

Nanao blushed, flustered by the unexpected flirtatious compliment. Then common sense reasserted itself, and she pointed out, "No, you're just trying to get me into bed with someone else." Lisa shrugged, unabashed. "It's basically the same goal."

"Not at all," the slender vizard argued, grinning. Then she sighed. "But I feel Shunsui's reiatsu approaching, so unless you want him to catch us here, we'd better get out."

Nanao hastily scrambled to her feet and threw a towel around herself. "I know exactly what he'd suggest if he found us here, and I don't want to be responsible for the damages when I throw him through the fence."

"Have you ever tried saying yes to one of his suggestions?" Lisa asked playfully. "You never know, you could enjoy it!"

Nanao shook her head soberly. "I can't." Though sometimes, in the darkest hours of the night, with loneliness shrouding her in gloom, she wondered why.

"Why not?" Lisa asked quietly, picking up on Nanao's sudden mood shift.

Nanao shrugged. "You've seen the way he goes through women, and the occasional guy too. I don't want to be just another quick fling. Juushiro is the only one who's been constantly at his side. And besides," she cut herself off. "Never mind." She valued the friendship she had with her captain, and she couldn't imagine jeopardizing it. He was caring, gentle, intelligent – all the things she wanted in a long-term partner, if she was honest with herself. Even the teasing was kindly meant. Admittedly, he had some major flaws, but who didn't? The problem was, he didn't seem to view women as potential partners, just one night stands.

"So you do like him," Lisa exclaimed happily.

"As a friend? Yes," Nanao replied honestly. "Other than that I don't know." It didn't help that she liked Juushiro too, in a way that she was fairly sure was more than friendly. Were you supposed to have feelings for more than one person at a time? Though Juushiro had tried to reassure her on that front, she was still a bit skeptical. Relationships were complicated enough with only two people involved. Not that she had much first-hand experience, but the proof was everywhere in the Seireitei. How much harder would it get adding another person to the mix?

Lisa pulled her into a tight embrace. "Don't worry too much over it," she advised, stroking Nanao's back comfortingly. "If it's meant to happen, it'll happen."

The young shinigami shrugged awkwardly. "I guess. But…" she stiffened. "Shit!"

Shunsui's reiatsu washed over them in a wave. "Well, aren't you two a sight for sore eyes," he slurred, leaning on Juushiro's arm.

"How much have you had to drink?" Nanao demanded, arms crossed defensively in front of her chest.

"Not as much as he's pretending," Juushiro replied wryly. "Shunsui, cut it out, you're heavy!"

Shinji snickered. "Though that's only because the bar kicked us out. Closing times are way too early here."

"It _is_ two in the morning," Juushiro pointed out gently. He elbowed Shunsui in the ribs. "Stand up, would you?"

"Aww, my Juu-chan is so cruel," Shunsui whined, letting go of Juushiro.

Nanao rolled her eyes, and Lisa smirked. "You're getting no help from me," she snorted as he looked at her pleadingly. "I'm off to my bed. Alone," she added. "I'll see you three in the morning?"

"At Urahara's shop," Juushiro confirmed. "Good night, Lisa-san, Shinji-san."

"Travel safely," Nanao added. The vizards waved as they stepped into shunpo, returning to their warehouse home.

"My Nanao-chan looks so beautiful in her swimsuit," Shunsui announced as their reiatsu faded away. "We could join you in the hot tub?" he suggested hopefully.

Nanao tucked her towel more firmly around her chest and gave him a pseudo-frosty look. "I am going to bed, so you may do as you please with the hot tub. Good night, sir; good night, Ukitake-san." She gave Juushiro a warm hug, making sure her towel remained firmly in place.

"Why don't I get a hug?" Shunsui complained.

"Because he doesn't threaten to grab my ass when I hug him," Nanao replied pertly. Not that Shunsui would actually touch her without her consent – she was as sure of that as she was of her own name. _And if you want him to follow up on those threats once in a while?_ a tiny, treacherous voice in her head needled her. She firmly squashed it, refusing to admit the kernel of truth in the statement.

Shunsui gave her his best sad-puppy-dog eyes, complete with pouting lips and innocently spread hands. She laughed. "Fine, just this once. No hugs when I leave the office!"

Her captain grinned, mood shifting mercurially, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "That's my gorgeous Nanao-chan!" he exclaimed cheerfully. She inhaled, enjoying his unique scent for a moment before disengaging as his hands slipped teasingly lower. He was bluffing, like always – though she didn't know what would happen if she called his bluff. _You could always hug him again and find out_ , the mischievous corner of her mind suggested. The rational majority overrode that without a second thought.

"I'll see you in the morning," she informed both of them. She flash stepped away, but not quite quick enough to hide the blush blooming on her cheeks.

Shunsui looked after her and sighed. Juushiro laughed at the look on his face. "You know when she says morning, she means before nine, right?" he reminded his lover.

The lazy captain flinched. "That's just cruel!" He reached out and tugged Juushiro closer. "But since we're going to be short on sleep anyway, I've got an idea..." He pulled the pale captain into a heated kiss, fingers tangling in long white hair. Juushiro sighed softly, returning the kiss with equal fervor.

"We'd better get some sleep," he warned breathlessly.

Shunsui chuckled lowly, fingers tracing a slow path down Juushiro's spine. "Don't worry, we will," he promised. "After this."


	13. Puzzle Pieces

**Author's Note:**

Thank you to Starscape91, Fading into the Background, and Snowkid for the reviews! You three have been amazingly helpful in inspiring me to keep writing; your reviews definitely make it worth it. Reviews tell me that people are reading this story and want it to continue, so if you fall into that category, please review!

I'm not so sure about this chapter; part of it seems very rushed and awkward to me. I may revise it later, but I've edited it heavily and I'm still not very happy with it. I hope you all like it anyway, as it does set up some major plot points.

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Puzzle Pieces  
**

 _The Internet really is a remarkable invention_ , Nanao thought to herself, studying the screen of the phone Urahara had supplied. She sat in the little dining room of the hotel, a half-eaten muffin on her plate, while she waited for everyone else to wake up. Hopefully that would be soon, though she had a sneaking suspicion that she'd need to drag her captain out of bed again. He and Juushiro had been up rather late; they didn't conceal their reiatsu quite as well as they thought they did. The traces of emotion in the energy had made her sleep restlessly, but she still managed to wake up fairly early. Seeing as she was alone, and likely to be so for the near future, she was taking the opportunity to look up a few things.

Specifically, some of the things she'd seen last night. Lisa's question had somehow burrowed its way into her brain, and while she didn't want to ask the older vizard anything, she saw no harm in a bit of research. Searching for Club Nightfire led her to a simple website with a calendar, club rules, and frequently asked questions. The FAQs informed her that the 'scene' Lisa had mentioned was called the BDSM scene, or kink scene. Searching for those terms led to a bewildering variety of information, on everything from rope bondage to electrical play. The former was honestly what had sparked Nanao's interest. Seeing that girl flying in the ropes, laughing and ecstatic, made her curious. Soon she was immersed in a blog about shibari suspensions, complete with pictures of lovely girls – and a few guys – bound in rope harnesses.

She was so engrossed in the description that she didn't notice when someone came up behind her until she felt a tap on her shoulder. She flinched, nearly knocking over her muffin, and spun to stare into the grinning face of Lisa. The vizard laughed, snatching the phone from her hands before she could move. "I knew it!" she crowed happily. "I knew you saw something that you liked! Suspensions, hmm? Good choice."

Nanao flushed furiously. "I…I'm not interested in it!" she protested. "I just wanted to research it." She knew it wasn't a great excuse, but she couldn't come up with anything better.

Lisa patted her comfortingly on the shoulder. "It's not anything to be ashamed of, you know," the vizard reassured her. "You're too smart to not have any kinks, anyway."

Nanao hunched her shoulders, looking down at her plate. "It's not exactly normal," she muttered, embarrassed. At least they were alone in the dining room; she couldn't imagine having this conversation in the presence of witnesses.

Lisa laughed. "Honey, it's about as normal as anything else in this world! Especially in our lives. Since when is anything we do normal?" She stroked the younger soul reaper's hair like she was petting a cat. "Seriously, it's nothing to be embarrassed about. Shibari is an old, respected art. And remember, it doesn't have to be sexual, though in my opinion kink is better with a bit of sex mixed in."

"You would think that," Nanao retorted, losing a bit of her embarrassment.

The vizard grinned unrepentantly. "Hey, I can't help it if I enjoy it!" She looked at Nanao expectantly, waiting for her to say something.

The younger soul reaper bit her lip, trying to work up the courage for what she wanted to ask. Finally, she blurted out, "Have you ever…well, done that?" She motioned to the phone.

Lisa nodded. "I've been on both sides, actually, though I'm almost always a top. I enjoyed being suspended, though I'm not a natural rope bunny the way some people are. Some people love pretty much anything to do with rope. Just the feel of it on their skin makes them happy." She winked at Nanao, and added, "I have a feeling you'll be like that, if you try it."

Nanao looked at Lisa questioningly. "What does it mean, to be a top?"

"I forgot, you don't know any of the terminology," Lisa replied. "Basically, a top is the person doing something, while a bottom is the person that the top is doing that thing to. So the person tying someone else up is the top, and the person being tied up is the bottom. A lot of people prefer one or the other, while some people switch between them fairly evenly." Nanao nodded. "Then there's other terms that you'll probably encounter: sub, dom, pet, slave, master, and more. Those describe power dynamics, and often, though not always, correspond to top and bottom. Sub, slave, pet, and everything else like that are all summarized as s-types. They give up power to their d-type, who may call themselves a dom, master, mistress, owner, or what have you."

"Owner? Slave?" Nanao questioned warily.

Lisa nodded. "Yep. It's a more extreme form of power exchange, where one person gives up basically all of their autonomy to the other. Don't worry too much about it though. I still don't understand the appeal of some parts of the scene, and I've been a part of it for a while." Nanao kept her thoughts behind her closed lips, but she wasn't so sure she liked the sound of that. Lisa seemed to sense her confusion, for she continued, "You don't have to participate in power exchange either, to play with rope. You don't have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

Nanao worried at her lower lip. "So how'd you get involved?"

"In kink, or in the scene?" Lisa asked.

"They're different?"

The vizard nodded. "The scene is the community. You can be kinky and never be a part of the scene. We were playing with kink long before the human world had an organized scene. So when humans started creating clubs and communities based on kink, we sort of naturally gravitated to it."

"Okay," Nanao said slowly. "So how'd you know you were into that sort of thing?"

"Kink, you mean?" Lisa grinned. "Our hollows had a lot to do with it, though Shunsui and I got up to some pretty kinky stuff before I transformed. Like I said, shibari is an ancient art form." She paused, looking thoughtful. "I can't speak for the others, but I think I was always interested in it. You just try stuff that sounds fun, really. Though it helps if you know what sort of things are out there to try."

The younger soul reaper couldn't believe herself when she asked tentatively, "So, um, how do you try things like that?"

Lisa pulled her into a sideways hug, ruffling her hair. "You find someone who also enjoys it, and you ask them! I'd be happy to suspend you, if you wanted, but I think you should ask Juushiro-san. He's a master at shibari, and I've got a feeling he'd be happy to show you the ropes." Nanao giggled, and Lisa hugged her tighter. The vizard looked at her, eyes sparkling with mischief. "I heard you slept with him," she teased.

"What? No!" Nanao spluttered. "We fell asleep while reading that book of Urahara's, that's all!"

"When did I say anything different?" Lisa smirked. Nanao hit her on the shoulder, squirming out of her grip. "But truly, you should ask him," the vizard urged.

"You think so?" Nanao asked doubtfully.

Lisa nodded firmly. "Juushiro-san's the best, and I'm sure he'd enjoy it."

She had her mouth open to say more when the door to the dining room swung open. "Now what are you girls plotting?" Shunsui asked cheerfully. He wore artfully-faded blue jeans and a black vest over a white shirt. His hair was tied back in a messy ponytail. Juushiro followed him into the room, wearing jeans and a button-up shirt. The top few buttons were undone, and Nanao spotted a dark bruise on his neck.

Lisa whistled approvingly. "Juushiro-san, you look damn good in jeans!" she exclaimed. Juushiro blushed faintly.

Shunsui patted his lover's butt, making the pale captain jump. "Doesn't he? I told him they made his ass look great, but he didn't believe me."

Juushiro glared halfheartedly at his partner. "Shunsui, that's not really appropriate," he chided.

"But it's true," the flamboyant captain protested.

"Hey, it's better than that time he told me in front of half the division that I had great legs," Lisa commented. "At least you don't have an audience." She looked at Shunsui pointedly. "You realize that half the women wanted to report you for sexual harassment for that comment, right?"

Shunsui looked interested. "Really? Why didn't they?"

Lisa smirked. "Well, when they came to me, I told them that I'd already gotten you back for it, and that you wouldn't do it again."

"Is that why I suddenly got drafted to run the inter-division endurance training at 7 in the morning?" Shunsui asked in tones of sudden enlightenment. Lisa snickered. Shunsui looked at Juushiro with a wounded expression. "I thought it was because your illness started acting up!"

The white-haired captain shrugged cheerfully. "I owed Lisa-san a favor. Besides, hitting on your lieutenant in front of the squad is hardly good for her reputation or yours."

Shunsui looked slightly guilty. "But she flirted back!" he protested.

"Not in front of half the squad," Juushiro pointed out.

The lazy captain looked over at Nanao, eyes more serious than usual. "Nanao-chan, does the division disrespect you because of me?"

She shrugged, uncomfortable with the sudden turn the conversation had taken. "At first they did, but now they know better." In fact, knowing the eighth, they had a betting pool going, just waiting for her to give in to their beloved captain. Or for her to finally shut him up once and for all; according to the rumors the odds were approximately equal.

Shunsui grinned, a hint of relief in the expression. "I'd hate to hear that they think my Nanao-chan is not a capable lieutenant," he said lightly.

Juushiro chuckled. "There's no fear of that, not when she's the only reason their paychecks arrive on time." When Shunsui pouted, the white-haired captain gave him a stern look. "Don't play innocent. After Lisa-san left, I know what happened to your division's paperwork." Shunsui winced, the minute movement only visible to those who knew him well. Those had not been the best days; he'd nearly drowned in sake more than once in an attempt to escape his guilt. He'd left the division to his third and fourth seats, both nearly as devastated as he; they transferred within months. When the Soutaicho assigned him a new fukutaicho, he ignored the man completely. The eighth had nearly fallen apart under the stress. By the time Nanao took over the lieutenant's post, they were half the size they had once been. She was the one who had whipped them back into shape and made them the division they were today.

"Alright, enough reminiscing!" Lisa ordered cheerfully. She skated a gentle touch over his shoulder, silently comforting him. She'd always been able to read him well, almost as well as Juushiro and Nanao could. The vizard turned to Nanao, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Seeing as we don't have much to do at the moment, I'm taking you shopping." Her tone left no room for disagreement.

"Do you want company?" Shunsui offered, smiling at his former lieutenant.

She shook her head firmly. "Nope. This is a girl's day out."

"Besides, you have terrible taste in clothes," Juushiro put in. "I've seen those gifts you buy for Nanao-san; they're horrible."

"Not to mention how inappropriate it is to buy lingerie for your fukutaicho," Nanao commented wryly. Though a few of the gifts had been surprisingly tasteful. She sensed Rangiku's helping hand on them. Most of them, though, would have been rejected by a stripper as too tacky.

Shunsui stuck his lower lip out. "You're all so cruel," he whined.

"The answer is still no," Lisa informed him sternly. "We'll see you two this evening."

Nanao looked horrified. "You want to spend a full day shopping?" She'd been dragged along on some of Rangiku's marathon shopping trips, and had deliberately blanked the details from her memory.

Lisa laughed at her expression. "I promise you'll have fun! When was the last time you took some time for yourself?"

She cast her mind back, searching for a time when she'd done more than read for a bit before bed. Nothing came to mind, though she knew there had to be something. She shrugged. "Probably on my last vacation?"

"My Nanao-chan works far too hard," Shunsui said helpfully. She directed a halfhearted glare at him, unable to deny the assertion.

"Then it's settled." Lisa looped an arm around Nanao's elbow. "Enjoy yourselves, boys!" She hauled Nanao out of the dining room as Juushiro muttered, "Boys?" under his breath.

* * *

Lisa drove them to a gigantic mall, deftly guiding the car through the light traffic. Nanao clutched the door handle and tried not to flinch as the vehicle swerved around corners. Shunpo was a far superior method of travel. She really didn't understand why Shunsui wanted to learn how to drive. _It feels like we're about to smash into something at any moment_. She mentioned that to Lisa, who snickered and drove faster. Thankfully, they arrived at the mall without incident, though there were several close calls to Nanao's eyes.

The mall sprawled across several blocks, all shimmering glass and concrete. Shoppers hurried to and fro like ants, numerous even at the relatively early hour. Nanao hung back reluctantly as Lisa dragged her inside the air-conditioned building, but the vizard ignored her protests. "You need a better wardrobe, honey," she pointed out. "Kisuke doesn't have the greatest taste either."

Admittedly, some of the outfits that Lisa picked out were quite charming. But after the tenth visit to the dressing room, she was exhausted – and this was only the second store. Lisa appeared to have an inexhaustible store of energy, flitting from rack to rack excitedly. She dropped the names of the brands and designers as if it would mean anything to the shinigami, casually pulling clothes down and tossing them to Nanao. Her puppy dog eyes were far more effective than Shunsui's, and Nanao found that she couldn't deny the vizard her fun.

However, she balked when Lisa led her to yet another store, this one proudly displaying a variety of bras and panties in the window. "Really? Do we have to?" she asked hesitantly, embarrassed to even be seen walking into the store.

Lisa chuckled. "Every girl needs something to make her feel pretty, and Victoria's Secret is the perfect place to find it." She tugged on Nanao's wrist, urging her into the store, where they were immediately greeted by a gorgeous blond saleswoman. Her perfect poise left Nanao feeling unsure of herself, out of her depth in this strange, glittering store. Lisa acted perfectly at ease, discussing colors and styles with a knowledgeable eye. So Nanao submitted to a humiliating hour of trying on clothes that she was positive she'd never wear. Lisa even managed to coax her into a faux-corset, which hugged her hips and pushed her breasts up. The vizard was enchanted; Nanao not so sure. She finally relented and bought it after Lisa threatened to hold her book hostage until she chose something to take home.

After lunch came manicures, which to Nanao's surprise felt rather good. She never painted her nails; there was no point when you were a fukutaicho. A single combat practice would ruin the all the hard work. _Admittedly, Rangiku manages somehow, but I think that's by avoiding combat practice altogether_.

Afterwards, she cajoled Lisa into visiting a bookstore with her. The vizard immediately dove into the latest manga, while Nanao headed towards the science fiction section. She secretly enjoyed the genre, though she wouldn't admit it to her captain. His idea of science fiction involved hot girls hooking up with various alien races, and included far too much pornography for her tastes. Admittedly, Lisa's choice of reading was hardly better, and just as erotic. Nanao preferred the kinds of books which involved convoluted political plots and daring protagonists fighting against all odds.

They left the bookstore hours later, as the flood of customers slowed to a trickle. "I don't know about you, but I'm ready to go home. I'm exhausted," Nanao sighed.

Lisa smiled. "But did you have fun?"

Nanao smiled shyly at her former mentor. "I did."

They chatted while dodging through the thinning hordes of shoppers, until a storefront caught Nanao's attention. Massive tv screens filled the window, displaying everything from action movies to the current news programs. Nanao studied the vibrant screens, enthralled by the brilliant colors and flashy special effects. Urahara's projector was elaborate, but it didn't have the clarity of these televisions. A dragon burst onto the largest screen, flaming, and Nanao jumped. It looked startlingly real, but she knew that humans didn't have the ability to genetically engineer such creatures yet.

Lisa chuckled. "Aren't computers remarkable?"

The slender shinigami nodded. "Kurotsuchi Taicho may be able to create something like that, but it would be messy."

"And probably destroy half of the Seireitei before he managed to control it," Lisa said distastefully. None of the vizards particularly liked Kurotsuchi.

Nanao had turned around to leave when a flash of movement pinged her instincts. She whirled to see an announcer gesturing to images of dead humans, their bodies almost skeletal. The skin was a pasty white color, with odd cracks throughout. A headline across the bottom of the screen read "Rash of drug-related deaths in Karakura." Nanao bit her lip, studying the image and wishing she could hear the news anchor's words. Something about that skin looked similar to the way the monsters' armor would crack right before they disintegrated. Then the anchor gestured, and the images were replaced by a map of Karakura. Green pinpoints dotted the city, clustered in the outskirts of the town.

Lisa tilted her head to one side, eying the display intently. "Is it just me, or does that look like the map Kisuke created?" she asked quietly.

Nanao nodded absently. "It could be just a coincidence," she warned, "but something about those bodies didn't look right."

"We need to tell Kisuke," Lisa announced. Nanao agreed wholeheartedly. She pulled out her cell phone as they ran out of the mall, calling the others as Lisa rocketed through the city streets. By the time they arrived at the shoten, the others had already gathered, and were waiting tensely.

Nanao explained what they'd seen while Lisa searched for the actual broadcast. Urahara projected it onto his gigantic television screen, and they watched in silence until the clip ended. Shinji was the first to speak, summing up all of their reactions: "Damn!"

Urahara fluttered his fan in front of his face, eyes hidden in shadow. "This explains a great deal," he mused, almost to himself.

"What are you saying?" Hiyori demanded irritably. "Did you expect this or something?"

The shopkeeper shook his head. "No, but it was not entirely unexpected either. I had postulated that the creation of these monsters would have some side effects; no experiment runs perfectly smoothly, after all."

Hiyori threw her sandal at him. "Idiot! You could have told us!" she yelled.

He dodged easily, returning her glare calmly. "Informing you to be on the lookout for some nebulous signs of a failed experiment would hardly be productive."

When Hiyori opened her mouth to retort, Shinji put a calming hand on her shoulder. "Enough. What's done is done. The question is, what do we do now?" Hiyori glared at the older vizard, but kept her mouth shut.

Urahara snapped his fan closed. "The program described these as drug-related deaths. That may be true, or they may have misdiagnosed it, but either way, we need to know precisely what killed these humans. If we are lucky, it will be the same thing that transforms them into doom beasts."

"So how do we figure that out?" Kensei asked in a sharp tone. "Are you going to ask us to search for the dead humans now, before the police find them?"

Yoruichi smirked, toying with the scarf around her neck. "No, I believe he expects us to perform something far more illegal."

Urahara widened his eyes innocently. "The police already have the bodies in their possession, and they have surely conducted toxicology exams and autopsies. I simply need a copy of those reports, though a body would come in handy."

Nanao stared at him incredulously. "You're asking us to steal you a body from the police?"

The scientist pulled his hat down lower. "Not steal, just borrow," he contradicted lightly. "And the body is not entirely necessary. The reports, however, are."

Lisa eyed him. "So you want us to waltz into a police station and 'borrow' a set of classified autopsy reports?" she asked skeptically. He nodded. The vizards exchanged glances, an unseen current running through the room.

At last Shinji heaved a sigh. "Well, I hate to admit it, but you haven't led us wrong yet. So we'll get those reports for you."

"It shouldn't be too difficult, really," Love stated. "It's not like they can see us in our shinigami forms. We'll just walk in, take the reports, and walk right back out."

"Perfect!" Urahara declared. "I knew I could count on you!"

"Sure," Shinji drawled. "Tonight then?"

The shopkeeper shrugged. "Sooner is better than later."

Shinji nodded. "Of course." He frowned, studied the assembled shinigami and vizards. "Let's see, we shouldn't all go. We need to leave some people behind in case any more doom beasts show up, and too many of us would just make things crowded."

Rose and Hachi were eliminated from consideration easily, as they weren't part of the current crowd. Love agreed to remain behind as well, though Mashiro pitched a fit when told she couldn't go. No one really wanted to deal with her exuberance on a stealth mission.

"But why not?" she whined. "I wanna see a morgue!" The other vizards ignored her.

In the end, the team consisted of Yoruichi, Shinji, and Juushiro: Yoruichi for her skills learned in the second division, Shinji to represent the vizards, and Juushiro for the soul reapers. By unspoken assent, the Shihoin heir was nominated as the leader. The former leader of the stealth force was the obvious choice, after all.

"Let's convene here after dark," Shinji suggested, brushing his bangs out of his face. They all nodded.

"See you then."


	14. Mission Impossible Remix

**Author's Note:**

In Japan, the coroners often assist with field investigations along with their other duties. They are drawn from the ranks of police detectives who have studied forensic science, and often spend much more time in the field than they do in the morgue. Many hold the rank of captain, putting them at an equal level to most investigative teams.

Because nearly all Japanese dead are cremated, the autopsy process has created tension between the police and the civilians in the past. Autopsies are rarely used in most areas, due to this and other reasons. Many areas of Japan lack medical examiners, so even when an autopsy is requested, no one can perform it. As you might guess, this means that suspicious deaths can often slip under the radar. In many places, it's unclear who even has the power to order an autopsy or investigation.

Just a few interesting tidbits I found while researching for this chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Mission Impossible Remix  
**

 _There are so many ways this can go wrong_ , Juushiro mused to himself hours later. He stood next to Yoruichi and Shinji on the roof opposite the police station, waiting patiently as the last officers trickled out. All three wore black shihakusho, minus the captain's haori they all were entitled to wear. Shinji plucked at the fabric irritably, while Yoruichi continually smoothed down the front of her gi. Juushiro wondered briefly how long it had been since either one had shed their gigai. A hundred years? Possibly; Soul Society had never detected their spiritual pressure, and only the gigais could conceal it that completely. _Seeing as their gigais behave identically to their spirit forms, maybe they never had a reason to leave them_. Juushiro couldn't imagine being trapped in a flesh shell for a century, but the gigais worn by the vizards were hardly ordinary bodies.

At last, the last visible light in the building flickered out. A weary, balding man stumbled out of the door, heading straight to his car without looking around. The three shinigami shrank away from the rooftop edge. Even if the man had looked up, he shouldn't have been able to see them, but Juushiro preferred the sense of safety. You never knew when you would encounter one of the rare individuals with enough spiritual pressure to notice the shinigami. Plus, it was always slightly unnerving when humans looked straight through you.

Yoruichi waited for several minutes after the man drove away before jumping lightly off the building. The other two followed, landing easily in front of the police station. Juushiro sent his senses out wide, searching for any hint of reiatsu. He ignored the dark, edgy coil that was Shinji and the fire of Yoruichi; only human and doom beast energy mattered. He found none of either, and whispered as much to Yoruichi. She nodded, probing at the locked door with a strip of metal. It clicked open under her hands, making her grin victoriously. Juushiro wondered if she had been the one to teach Kensei how to pick locks – Shunsui had told him about the vizard's skill.

They slipped inside the darkened building, closing the door with a soft thud behind them. Shinji flipped the lock closed, just in case anyone came back to the station. They stood in a large entranceway, lined with doors on either side. Several hallways led to the right and left, marked with helpful signs for visitors. A welcome desk stood in front of them, currently deserted, with a worn chair behind it. It was pitch-black – Yoruichi's eyes gleamed dimly in the dark as if she was a real cat. A skylight set into the ceiling provided the only illumination.

Juushiro held up a hand, summoning a touch of kido fire into his palm. It was enough light to see each other fairly well, though the ends of the halls remained clad in shadows. Yoruichi strode confidently towards the end of the hall and the elevators. Somehow, Urahara had produced blueprints of the station, which showed that the morgue was on the lowest floor. The feline shinigami prodded the down button, tapping her foot impatiently as the creaky machinery ground into motion. The noise made Juushiro flinch, though neither Shinji nor Yoruichi seemed bothered.

The sudden squeaking of old hinges startled all three of them, however. Yoruichi spun at the unexpected noise, relaxing only when she saw the heavyset older man step into the doorway. "Anyone there?" he called, squinting towards the frozen shinigami. The human had no trace of reiatsu, so he shouldn't have been able to see them, but none of them were willing to risk moving.

Unfortunately, the elevator took that choice out of their hands. It beeped loudly, doors sliding open behind them. Light spilled out into the room, and the man took several steps forward. "What's going on?"

"Come on!" Yoruichi hissed. She seized both men, dragging them back into the elevator.

As the doors slid shut, they heard the man mutter, "Damn elevator. Always acting up."

"Thank goodness for old technology," Shinji joked, pressing the button for the basement. He tipped his head towards Juushiro, saying, "Thought you said there wasn't anyone around."

Yoruichi snorted before Juushiro could reply. "I couldn't sense that guy either, and I doubt you could have."

Juushiro sent her a grateful glance. _First miscalculation_ , he thought. _The humans may not be able to see us, but they can certainly see the objects we interact with_. It was something to keep in mind. In this day and age, the humans were unlikely to blame unusual occurrences on mischievous kami or poltergeists. No, they were more likely to go hunting for the culprit with guns and fists. Sometimes mortals could be truly terrifying.

The elevator lurched to a halt, interrupting his musings. They walked out, only to be confronted with an imposing pair of glass doors. An electronic keypad, numbers glowing a faint green, barred the way. Shinji cursed under his breath. "I don't suppose you know how to hack that?" he asked Yoruichi without much hope.

The former captain shook her head regretfully. "That's Kisuke's deal, I'm afraid."

"Sometimes I really wish we were insubstantial, like ghosts," Shinji sighed. "It'd make things so much easier."

 _Second miscalculation: assuming that the humans wouldn't protect their data_. _Why didn't Kisuke come up with a plan to counter electronic security?_ The genius scientist was usually so good at anticipating and avoiding obstacles. They could use kido on the lock, but that would surely set off an alarm. "So what now?" he inquired softly.

Yoruichi smirked. "We call Kisuke." She held up her cell phone for emphasis. After a short conversation, she covered the speaker and informed them, "Apparently the security feeds for the station are on a closed loop, whatever that means, so he can't disable the alarm." She looked at Juushiro. "But he wants to talk to you." She passed the phone to Juushiro, who took it with a startled expression. He listened intently as the scientist described a complex series of kido spells that should, in theory, show them the order the keys were usually pressed in. As the correct password would be entered much more frequently than any wrong string of numbers, pressing the keys in that order should open the door.

It took the pale captain several minutes to assemble the spell in his head, and many more minutes to actually execute it correctly. The first few times he tried, all the keys lit up, earning him a weary sigh over the phone. But eventually, he sent the delicate magic coursing through the keypad at the perfect frequency. The keys lit up in order, and he punched in the code. The doors whooshed open. Yoruichi hummed approvingly. "Nice job."

Shinji stretched as he rose from his sprawl against the wall. "Let's go," he urged, eager to finally do something. He led the way into the darkened room, blinking as fluorescent lights buzzed to life above them.

The first thing Juushiro noticed was a pair of stainless steel tables, bolted to the tiled floor. Strange metal instruments lay in a neat row on top of one table, while the other held several folded white sheets. More metal equipment, resembling medieval torture devices, rested on top of a long table in the back. Various machines lurked there as well, reminiscent of Kurotsuchi's lab. Pictures of things he preferred not to examine too closely lined the far wall. The walls on either side of them held metal drawers, which surely housed the bodies being autopsied.

Soul reapers were no strangers to death, but the cold silence of those rows of freezers sent shivers down Juushiro's spine. Shinji pulled open the nearest drawer, only to lean back with a sound of disgust. Juushiro glanced over and immediately wished he hadn't. The body was mangled, hardly recognizable as human despite an effort to put it back together. Something had smashed in the skull and ripped open the ribcage, shattering bones and pulping internal organs. Shinji swiftly shut the drawer, throat working hard in an effort not to vomit.

Yoruichi grimaced. "Alright, let's find what Kisuke wants and get out of here. This place gives me the creeps." She strode over to a set of filing cabinets, starting to rifle through the folders. A few seconds later, she hissed irritably. "There's no way to tell what body these belong to, and they're all organized by case number."

"The bodies are labeled with the number," Shinji offered.

She wrinkled her nose. "Fine."

So they began the gruesome task of opening drawers to find the desiccated corpses shown on the television. It was heartbreaking work. Many of the dead had been violently murdered; gunshot wounds and knife marks were common. Too many were terrifyingly young. Juushiro pulled open one drawer to reveal a boy, no more than ten, with a battered face and bullet holes in his abdomen. How had a child gotten mixed up in something so violent? The boy's ribs pressed starkly against his skin, and his scrawny limbs bore no muscle; he had been starving before he died. The captain's stomach roiled uneasily.

To Juushiro, their actions felt like sacrilege. No one should view the dead in this way, laid out with all their secrets exposed. It was too intimate. He had the uneasy sensation that they were violating something best left undisturbed. Yoruichi and Shinji must have shared his discomfort, for they worked in silence broken only by the sliding of metal on metal.

After too many minutes, Shinji found the first of their victims. Up close, it was clear that this was not a normal corpse. Skin stretched tight over withered limbs, riddled with dark lines like cracks in a shell. The closed eyelids fell slackly over sunken eyes. The man looked like he had been mummified. A subtle hint of foreign reiatsu lingered around his body, further proof that this was one of their victims.

"Are you sure?" Shinji asked cautiously.

Juushiro nodded. It took all of his skill to detect it, but the taint couldn't be mistaken for something else. It was not a perfect match to the doom beasts' reiatsu, but it was close.

Yoruichi dug through the filing cabinet and pulled out the folder corresponding to the number on the man's toe tag: Case 89514. She spread the files out on the table.

 **Name:** Ryuu Hiroshi

 **Age:** 23

 **Born:** July 5, 1991

 **Died:** April 18, 2015 between 1 and 5 am

 **Cause of death:** drug overdose; drug unknown

The file went on for pages, describing the man's medical history, work history, known relatives, and more. A full toxicology report was included, though the technical language meant nothing to Juushiro. Hopefully Urahara would be able to understand it. Yoruichi took careful photos of every page with a handheld digital camera, positioning them to get the best light, while Juushiro and Shinji searched for the rest of the victims.

In the end, the morgue held twelve corpses, though the news anchor had reported over thirty dead. They ranged in age from 17 to 56, and came from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Both men and women were represented, though the men outnumbered the women seven to five. The cause of death was the same for each one: 'drug overdose; drug unknown.'

At last Yoruichi sighed, arching her back. "That's everything we're going to find here." Juushiro and Shinji began sorting papers back into the proper folders, eyes sliding over pictures of laughing, happy men and women. The contrast between the photos and the dead bodies was just too great. _You'd think you'd become numb to death after a while_ , Juushiro thought wearily. _No such luck. Though maybe it is better this way_.

A whisper of wind was all the warning they got as the doors slid soundlessly open. "What the hell are you doing?" The voice cracked like a whip in the silence. Juushiro felt a folder slide from nerveless fingers, and scrambled to catch it before it could burst open. _Third miscalculation: expecting not to run into humans with decent spirit energy. In hindsight, that was a very foolish assumption_. Shinji chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head.

Only Yoruichi maintained her poise. "You can see us?" she asked sardonically, arching an elegant brow at the stocky woman clad in a white lab coat.

The woman rested her hands on her hips, stepping fully through the doors. "What kind of question is that? Of course I can see you. Now what the hell are you doing in my morgue?" Either she hadn't noticed the swords strapped to the waists of her unexpected visitors, or she had dismissed them as costume props, for she didn't give the weapons a second glance.

Yoruichi prowled forward with the grace of a panther, reaching into her shihakusho for some small object. "Don't worry about it," she purred softly. "In a few moments you won't remember anything."

The woman's eyes widened as she raised her hands defensively. "Now wait a minute!" she protested. "What do you mean?" Yoruichi pulled out a pen-shaped device, and the woman struck. Within seconds, Yoruichi lay flat on the ground, with the woman on her back holding her arm in a painful lock. The device skittered across the ground, vanishing under a table. The Shihoin heir could have escaped easily, but unwillingness to hurt a human kept her rigid for a few seconds.

Juushiro stepped forward, hands outspread. "Everyone calm down," he urged quietly. "Miss? We aren't going to hurt you. Can you let our friend go?" Yoruichi glared at him, a silent reminder that she could escape any time she choose. He ignored her. At least she hadn't revealed her true speed, remaining true to their guise as humans.

"Not until you explain why you're here," the woman snarled. Despite being outnumbered, her voice held no fear. Juushiro had to admire a human with the courage to face down three soul reapers without batting an eye, even if she didn't know what they were.

The pale captain sighed. He could tell that this woman wouldn't be satisfied by anything but the absolute truth. So they would give her what she wanted. If necessary, they could wipe her mind afterwards, but he wondered if she might be a useful ally. In interest of defusing the situation before she got hurt or triggered an alarm, he said, "We're here about the recent rash of drug overdose deaths. We want to know what's causing them."

Shock made the woman's eyes widen. Then they narrowed suspiciously. "Why? Are you drug dealers?"

Shinji chuckled, tongue ring flashing. "No, my lady, we aren't. We simply want to prevent any more needless deaths."

She rolled her eyes. "So I'm to believe that you're good Samaritans, acting out of the kindness of your own hearts? Not likely." Her grip on Yoruichi tightened. "Try again."

"We'll explain everything if you let her go," Juushiro promised calmly. Yoruichi's reiatsu was writhing irritably, and he didn't want the former captain to do anything impetuous. He tried to project honesty and trustworthiness into his own reiatsu in the hopes that she was sensitive enough to notice.

Apparently she was, for she sighed and released her grip. Standing, she offered Yoruichi a hand, and said, "You can start with what you are. You're obviously not human." Surprisingly, the Shihoin princess accepted her aid, taking her hand and rising gracefully. The woman eyed her wryly and added, "You could have broken my hold at any time, couldn't you?"

Yoruichi shrugged fluidly. "Only if I wanted to hurt you. I'm Yoruichi Shihoin. This is Juushiro Ukitake, and that scruffy gentleman is Shinji Hirako."

The woman bowed her head slightly. "Akane Suzuki. I'd say I'm pleased to meet you, but I'm not really sure that I am."

Juushiro bowed. "Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Suzuki-san."

Shinji snickered. "You're rather blunt, aren't you? Hey, Yoruichi, never thought I'd see the head of the stealth force taken out by a human!" The feline shinigami bared her teeth in his direction.

"You're no better, it seems," Suzuki retorted. He gave her a wicked grin. She ignored him, crossing her arms over her chest. "An explanation please?"

Yoruichi hopped up on the desk, curling her legs underneath her. "It's quite simple really. We are what's known as shinigami; our purpose is to guide the spirits of the dead to the Soul Society." An oversimplification, but it would do for now. She proceeded to give a brief explanation of hollows and soul burial, while Suzuki watched with a neutral expression.

When she was finished, the coroner sighed wearily. "I'd like to think this is all a prank, but I've seen other people wearing that uniform and fighting monsters like you've described. So I believe that much. But that doesn't explain why you're in my morgue, going through files you shouldn't have access to."

Juushiro took up the thread, describing the doom beasts and their suspicion that the same drug had caused the recent surge of deaths. Suzuki appeared skeptical, but she had to admit that the drug matched nothing in her extensive databases. "There's some similarities to methamphetamine, and part of the compound is practically identical to rohypnol, but the entire cocktail is something very strange. Some of the data it returns should not be possible, but I've run the tests numerous times, and they always give the same results." The soul reapers exchanged glances. That certainly sounded like something Urahara would find fascinating. But the coroner hadn't finished speaking. "Even so, it is a physical drug. Not something from this Soul Society place. So I don't know how it can have the effects that you described."

The white-haired captain spread his hands. "I don't know either, but then none of us are scientists, I'm afraid."

Suzuki looked at them incredulously. "You're saying you broke in here to steal data that you don't even understand? What are you planning on doing with it then?"

Yoruichi tilted her head to one side. "We've got a friend who can analyze the data; he'll be very interested in these results."

"So why isn't he here with you?" the coroner inquired.

Shinji snorted. "Too busy in his lab, he says. I think he just doesn't want to get his hands dirty."

To their surprise, Suzuki laughed. "I know a few researchers like that. The world could be burning down around them and they'd still remain in their little ivory towers." She eyed them wryly. "I'm afraid your friend is going to be disappointed. The official tox screen results don't have much useful information in them."

"What do you mean?" Juushiro asked, puzzled.

"All they really say is that the drug is an unknown specimen," she explained. "It's dressed up in fancier language, but that's the gist of it. I ran a substantial number of extra tests to analyze the chemical makeup of the samples, but those results aren't in any of the files."

The pale captain narrowed his eyes. "Why not?"

Suzuki shrugged tiredly. "The brass aren't interested. As far as we can tell, the victims ingested the drug voluntarily. Since they weren't murdered, and the department is overworked as it is, no one really cares about the newest street drug killing a few junkies."

"That's horrible," Juushiro said, aghast.

"That's life," she corrected. "Unless a relative comes in and makes a fuss, these deaths are self-inflicted drug overdoses. And since half these people don't even have next-of-kin listed, I doubt we'll see any grieving family members asking for a thorough investigation."

Shinji rattled his tongue piercing against his teeth. "How's that possible? I thought you people kept track of everyone."

The coroner rolled her eyes. "Not everyone. There are a number of people who are, in effect, ghosts in the machine. They may have chosen to become that way, due to ties to criminal organizations, or they may have simply slipped through the cracks."

"So can we see the extra tests you ran?" Yoruichi asked, shifting restlessly on the desk.

Suzuki shook her head firmly. "Those results are classified. Besides, they wouldn't mean anything to you."

Yoruichi looked at her like a teacher with a pupil being deliberately obtuse. "Then can we take the results back to our friend?"

The coroner gave her an unimpressed look. "Again, no. Does the word classified mean anything to you?"

Juushiro interceded before Yoruichi could return the verbal barb. "Suzuki-san, we would really appreciate your help," he pleaded. "Your results may help us find the person creating these doom beasts, saving any number of lives."

She ran her fingers through her short brown hair pensively. "I can't allow classified data to leave this building," she replied slowly. "But if you're right, and this drug is deliberately engineered to kill people or transform them into monsters, then I want the madman who created it caught before he does any more damage." She frowned, studying them warily.

"I know you don't have a reason to trust us," Juushiro said gently. "Is there anything we can do to prove our sincerity?"

Suzuki exhaled heavily. "Bring your friend in tomorrow afternoon. If he can convince me that he's trustworthy, I'll show him the data."

"Kisuke, trustworthy?" Shinji muttered under his breath. Yoruichi glared at him. He stuck his tongue out at her in a childish gesture probably learned from Hiyori.

Juushiro ignored them both. "We will do that. Does 3 pm work for you?"

She nodded. "Tell the front desk you're here for me; I'll let them know you're coming as consultants on the drug overdose cases." She paused. "Wait, do you have a way to become visible to normal people?"

The pale captain chuckled. "We do; don't worry about that. Thank you, Suzuki-san."

"Don't thank me yet," she returned wryly. "If your friend can't give me a good reason to show him sensitive data, you're back at square one."

Juushiro bowed to her. "Still, you are willing to help, and that is a rare thing. You deserve our thanks."

"How about you finish cleaning up the mess you made, instead?" she suggested.

He laughed. "Of course." They made quick work of the remaining files, rapidly putting everything back where it belonged. Yoruichi thanked the coroner as well, but she just waved the thanks away. It was nearing two in the morning by the time they slipped out of the building, thankfully avoiding any more incidents.

"See you two tomorrow?" Shinji asked, hiding a yawn, as they landed in front of the shoten.

Yoruichi nodded. "I'll tell Kisuke the plan. Let's meet back here before heading down to the station, it'll be easier to coordinate that way."

They reentered their gigais, which Urahara had kindly stored for them, and bid each other goodnight. A quick shunpo trip later, Juushiro stood on the balcony of the hotel room, staring up at the clouded sky. He took several deep breaths, letting all the tension from the night escape his body. Finally, they had a lead. It remained to be seen how useful it would be, but they had a concrete clue at last. The coroner had seemed like a good woman; she would help them if she could. While they couldn't restore the dead to life, they could prevent further deaths, and that was almost good enough.

Once he felt grounded and calm, he slid the door open and slipped inside. Shunsui grumbled something unintelligible as the pale captain curled up against his side, pressing chilled skin against warm. Juushiro sighed, relaxing into his lover's warmth. As sleep slowly dragged him down into darkness, he felt Shunsui shift and throw an arm over him. Even fast asleep, the lazy captain loved to cuddle.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

The takedown Suzuki used is based on a kenpo gun defense. Yes, it works even on highly-trained people, especially when they're taken by surprise. It works on my sensei, who has been training for over twenty years. While Yoruichi in an expert in hand-to-hand combat, she wasn't expecting the attack, and didn't want to hurt an innocent human, which is really the only way to break out of a takedown in progress.


	15. Memento Mori

**Author's Note:**

Warning: the beginning of this chapter contains descriptions of violence that may be triggering for some people.

Recent studies have estimated that between 20% and 30% of US veterans have PTSD. It's difficult to measure, since symptoms may not appear immediately after trauma, and many never seek treatment. The National Center for PTSD estimates that approximately 50% of veterans who have PTSD are never treated. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, depression, and severe emotional or physical distress when presented with something that reminds you of the traumatic event that caused the PTSD. Certain triggers, such as a time of year or the sight of blood, may cause flashbacks or distress. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective treatment found so far.

I suspect that many shinigami would end up with symptoms of PTSD after spending decades or millennia as soldiers. They may be used to carnage, but they see some horrible things, and that can have an unpredictable effect on a person's psyche. It doesn't make them damaged goods, or somehow worth less than others, or the other things that you sometimes hear about people with mental disabilities; it makes them human.

With that said, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Memento Mori  
**

 _He stood on hard-packed dirt in a nondescript square. The scent of blood and burning flesh filled the air. People screamed, sprinting past him with mouths gaping and hands reaching. A sliver of a moon shone down coldly on the tiny village, uncaring of the people's plight. The roar of a hollow split the air. Another echoed it, and another, until the sky was full of the eerie cries. Fire licked towards the heavens, reflecting hellishly from the frantic eyes of the villagers. They ran in circles like trapped rats with nowhere to hide, for nowhere was safe._

 _He was rooted to the spot, unable to move – a horrified observer of the carnage all around him. A hollow snatched up a young woman, biting her in two with a crack of its jaws. Blood dripping from its lips, it looked around for another victim. A second hollow seized an old man, who struggled fiercely in its grip before it ripped his head off._

 _A child darted past, tumbling over a brick and falling at his feet. A serpentine hollow lunged for the little girl, scaly mouth slavering. That broke his paralysis. Somehow a sword materialized in his hands as he swung downwards, cleaving the hollow in two. It disintegrated with a wail, but the horde kept coming. His arms felt like lead as he swung again and again. Blood trickled from a cut on his bicep, and his side burned where a claw had snagged him. He killed and killed, but all around him villagers died. Blood covered his arms, smeared through his hair and splashed around his feet. He waded through a sea of gore as he slashed and cut and hacked his way through masses of hollows. He couldn't see any living people, and still he fought._

 _Then the scene blurred. He stood in front of a large wooden building liberally splashed with gore. The high-pitched voices of children screamed in terror and pain from inside. As he watched, half the wall burst outwards, showering him in splinters. A misshapen hollow laughed maniacally, flinging a boy off of its claws to splatter against the ground. It ripped apart two more children, licking its lips as their lifeblood poured out._

 _He tried to move forward, to stop it, but his feet refused to heed his commands. It cackled, eyes glowing hotly, as it dragged a lazy claw through a puddle of gore. "Tasty, isn't it?" it crowed. "Want a taste, soul reaper?"_

Juushiro woke with a gasp, flailing wildly as the covers tangled about his legs. His heart pounded as if he'd just run a marathon. "Juu?" Shunsui mumbled sleepily. The pale captain panted, sweat beading his clammy skin, unable to get enough oxygen into his lungs. His throat closed up, and he felt tears spilling from his eyes.

Shunsui sat up, cradling his lover in his arms. He wrapped his reiatsu around the white-haired captain, creating a warm blanket that soothed and protected at the same time. "What is it?" he murmured, nuzzling Juushiro's neck.

Juushiro coughed harshly, fingers gripping the sheets tightly. Shunsui smoothed his hair out of his face, holding him until the attack passed. "Orphanage," he gasped once he was able to speak. He brushed moisture off of his cheeks, relaxing into his lover's embrace.

Shunsui nodded soberly, the one word telling him all he needed to know. They'd been fresh out of the Academy, new recruits confident in their power and fighting abilities. When they received the alert that hollows were attacking a Rukongai village, they had joined the squad sent to deal with the threat. Unfortunately, there were far more hollows than anticipated, drawn there by an orphanage on the edge of town. It had provided a safe haven for children with high spiritual pressure, who were often abandoned by parents unable to feed their offspring. To the hollows, it was a beacon promising tasty treats. They'd arrived too late to save most of the children. The sight of those bloodstained walls and crumpled little bodies had haunted both captains ever since.

"Why now?" Shunsui asked softly.

Juushiro turned into him, burying his head in his chest. "There was a young boy at the morgue," the pale captain explained. "He couldn't have been more than ten, and he was shot multiple times." Shunsui stroked his hair, not needing any more explanation. Juushiro had always cared for children, maybe more than he should have. Seeing their deaths always pained him deeply.

A quiet knock sounded at the door. Shunsui slipped out of bed to open it, uncaring that he wore only boxers. Nanao stood there, clad in a light robe, worry in her eyes. "I felt the reiatsu surge," she said in a hushed tone. "Is everything alright?"

Shunsui nodded, opening the door wider in a silent invitation. She padded into the room on noiseless feet, offering Juushiro a gentle smile. He returned it shakily. "Come to check up on me?" he asked hoarsely.

She perched on the edge of the bed, while Shunsui slid behind Juushiro again. "Just wanted to make sure you were okay," she murmured. "Nightmare?"

"Plus a coughing fit," he responded with an attempt at his usual cheer.

She smiled. "Well, I know a cure for the former," she offered tentatively. He motioned for her to continue. "Turn around," she suggested. He shifted so his chest pressed against Shunsui's side, straddling his partner's leg. She crawled closer, settling into a comfortable position at his back. With careful hands, she swept his hair over his shoulder and began massaging his shoulders. "Isane taught me this," Nanao explained quietly as she kneaded the muscles expertly. Juushiro exhaled, letting his head fall forward onto Shunsui's shoulder.

"That feels amazing," he sighed.

Shunsui chuckled. "My Nanao-chan has talented fingers," he murmured. He avoided his usual teasing innuendo, making it sound like a compliment. She smiled back at him, recognizing the sincerity, but kept her attention on Juushiro. Already the pale captain's reiatsu was losing the lightning crackle of tension that had permeated it during the nightmare.

As Nanao continued to massage Juushiro's back, Shunsui draped a cautious arm over her shoulders. She sighed, and he felt her tense muscles relax. His other hand linked with Juushiro's, intertwining their fingers together. In the darkness of the hotel room, their togetherness felt natural and intimate.

Slowly, Juushiro succumbed to the siren call of sleep. The storm raging in his reiatsu smoothed into gentle waves and drew back under his skin. Shunsui cradled his lover and his lieutenant for long moments afterwards, enjoying their company. The feel of their energy against his soothed his own weary soul. At last Nanao sighed, straightening and brushing fingers down Juushiro's spine. "That should help," she whispered to Shunsui. He squeezed her shoulder in silent thanks, wishing he could see her expression more clearly in the dark room. His body protested the loss of her heat as she slid off the bed and padded to the door. "Good night, taicho," she murmured.

* * *

"Wait, say that again. You did what?" Rose spluttered, confusion etched into his face. The vizards and soul reapers had gathered in Urahara's shop after lunch in preparation to go see Suzuki that afternoon. Shinji had just finished explaining the events of the previous night, ensuring that everyone had the latest information.

"We invaded the police station, got caught by the coroner, and are going to go visit her today," the lanky vizard explained in a put-upon tone. "It's not that complicated."

"You invaded a police station," Rose stated disbelievingly. "Are you out of your mind?"

Shinji waved a hand dismissively. "We were in spirit form, it's not like any of them could see us."

"Except this medical examiner you mentioned," the elegant vizard pointed out dryly.

"Akane Suzuki," Yoruichi put in helpfully.

Rose flapped a hand in her general direction. "Yes, her. She could clearly see you. You know, you really should have anticipated such an occurrence. The number of humans with enhanced spiritual pressure is significantly higher in Karakura town than in other locations, and probability dictates that at least one member of the police force would have such enhanced energy." He took a deep breath, and Love smacked the back of his head. "What was that for?"

"You're not helping," the vizard responded calmly.

Urahara fluttered his fan. "Now, now, let's not get too worked up. There's not much time before we need to leave to meet Suzuki-san, after all."

"Yeah, about that," Shinji drawled. "Don't do your humble shopkeeper act with her, and for gods' sake don't be too perverted. She needs to trust you, after all."

Urahara opened his eyes wide. "Me? What possible reason could she have to mistrust me?"

"You like playing mysterious too much," Yoruichi replied sardonically. "Making her think you're keeping secrets isn't the way to gain her trust." The scientist smirked, acknowledging the truth of her assertion.

Shinji chuckled. "Right. Anyway, let's go."

Nanao pushed her glasses up her nose. "I don't believe all of us should attend this meeting. Suzuki-san does not need to talk to everyone, and it would be hard to explain the presence of a dozen strangers."

"In fact, it would probably be better if only the original three, along with Kisuke, went," Lisa suggested sensibly. Mashiro whined about still not being allowed to see the morgue, but Hachi calmly shut her up. None of the others objected to the suggestion.

Rather than use shunpo in daylight, Yoruichi drove them down to the station. _It looks rather different in daylight_ , Juushiro thought as he studied the hall. The wear and tear of years of use was obvious. The heavy welcome desk was battered; the tiled floor scarred and stained. The officer behind the desk had dark circles under his eyes and wrinkles in his uniform. He studied them dully as they approached, taking in their unusual appearances. Urahara's sandals clacked loudly against the floor as the former captain strode up to the desk like he owned the place. "We're here to see Suzuki-san," he informed the officer politely, tipping his hat down.

The officer nodded, pressing a button on an old speaker system. "Suzuki-san? Your consultants are here." His glaze flickered back up to them. "She'll be right up."

"Wonderful!" Urahara beamed.

A few minutes later, the elevator doors slid open and Suzuki stepped out. Her white lab coat was rumpled, as if she'd slept in it; her brown hair looked hastily combed. She walked briskly over to them, holding out a hand in greeting. "You must be the friend they told me about. Akane Suzuki," she offered.

Urahara bowed over her hand, smiling coyly. "Kisuke Urahara, but please, call me Kisuke."

She nodded, expression neutral. "If you'll all follow me?" Once they were in elevator, away from prying eyes, she added, "I assume you're a shinigami, like them?" The former captain responded affirmatively, and she asked, "How did you make it so ordinary people can see you?"

"It's an artificial body called a gigai," Urahara explained genially. "We can take them on and off the same way you can change clothes."

She raised an eyebrow. "That's freaky. But I suppose it doesn't matter. You're a scientist?"

"Of sorts," the shopkeeper responded humbly. Yoruichi concealed a smirk. "I do have some expertise in the sciences."

"Biochemistry? Neurology? Medicine?" Suzuki inquired.

He shrugged. "A little of everything, really."

She rolled her eyes. "Good to know." The elevator bounced to a halt, and she led the way through the glass doors with a quick swipe of her badge. "Welcome to my lab," she announced, gesturing casually. The clinical white room looked even less inviting during the day, with a body laid out on one of the metal tables to be dissected. She drew a sheet over the corpse, concealing the way the flesh over the ribcage had been peeled back. "Sorry for the mess, I was in the middle of an autopsy when you arrived."

Juushiro got the sense that she had deliberately left the body visible to test her visitors. He couldn't tell if she was pleased or disappointed with their lack of visible reaction. Decades of combat gave you a strong stomach. Though if it had been a child laying there… He was grateful that the coroner was not that cruel.

Suzuki efficiently yanked open the file cabinet drawers, pulling out six or seven different folders. She spread them out on the desk and gave Urahara an expectant look. "These are some of the files that your associates were examining last night. I assume they gave that information to you; I'd like to know what you think. If you need to examine them further, feel free."

"No need," Urahara responded absently, running a finger over the numbered folders. "I know what they contain." He tapped a random folder. "Katsuo Toshiaki. Age 38. No next of kin, no known address. Arrested once on charges of drug possession." The scientist dragged his finger down another folder. "Chiyo Hayomi. Age 17. The youngest of the group. She ran away from home at fifteen; has been arrested three times on solicitation charges." He turned back to face Suzuki. "I know all their names, all their faces. They all died from the same drug, but neither you nor anyone else know what that drug is. Though I must say, the results of the analysis do shed some light on the subject."

She studied him like a scientist with a new specimen. "How did you memorize all of that?"

He smiled modestly. "I have a photographic memory."

"Interesting." Her tone showed that she wasn't sure if she believed him, but was reserving judgement. "What can you tell me about the drug?"

Urahara launched into a description that rapidly devolved into scientific babble to Juushiro's ears. He exchanged glances with Shinji and Yoruichi, who both looked as lost as he felt. Suzuki clearly understood, though. It wasn't long before she and Urahara were crouched over a computer screen, zooming through pages of incomprehensible graphs and charts. They even pulled out one of the bodies to collect new samples, inserting them into a complicated machine that whirred and beeped at them.

After nearly an hour, Yoruichi snapped. "Kisuke, dear, we'll collect you sometime tonight," she purred. "Right now, there are far better things to be doing."

He didn't bother looking up from the computer as he muttered, "Sure, of course. Tonight, yeah."

She rolled her eyes. "He always gets like this," she confided to Shinji and Juushiro. "I could strip naked and he still wouldn't notice."

"Have you tried?" Shinji inquired, a wicked look dancing in his eyes.

She laughed, smoothing her hands down her curves. "Of course! He told me to get out of his way so he could get to one of his inventions." She sent a teasing pout at the back of the oblivious scientist. "It was actually rather adorable."


	16. The Signal and the Noise

**Author's Note:**

Urahara is a difficult character to write, since he portrays himself as a humble, affable shopkeeper – easygoing, cheerful, and friendly. But he embeds the Hogyoku in Rukia, knowingly sends a mostly-untrained group of teenagers into deadly danger that he had a hand in creating, and never explains more than a fraction of the situation. Again and again, he manipulates events from behind the scenes, rarely putting himself in harm's way. He's definitely a genius, but I'm not so sure he's a good person. He certainly acts as if he's borderline psychopathic at times. Though he generally acts for the greater good, it's always his definition of the greater good, and he evidences little caring about most other people.

So writing from his perspective is challenging. I want to keep a balance between his brilliant scientist side, whose coldhearted logic created the whole mess with Rukia and the Hogyoku, and the more caring side that he shows on occasion. Over all of that is the facade he maintains, which he never lets slip in public. Hopefully that all comes through in this chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 16: The Signal and the Noise  
**

Contrary to Yoruichi's belief, Urahara _had_ noticed her striptease show. However, he had been in the middle of a very delicate experiment at the time. A hundred years of living with her lack of modesty muted the impact of her naked body, though she could still lead him around by the nose when she chose. And it was just so entertaining to see her disgruntled reactions when he pretended to ignore her. In that particular instance, she'd eventually transformed into her cat form, flicked him in the face with her tail, and vanished for a week. He'd been suitably repentant when she returned – it was all part of the game they played.

The scientist waved an absentminded hand as the three trooped out of the morgue. He couldn't blame them for being bored, though he found the data fascinating. The drug was a labyrinthine compound, meant to bind to various synapses for a variety of effects. A spectrophotometer had revealed the presence of a large amount of carbon, along with oxygen, nitrogen, and fluorine spectra. None of that came as a surprise; virtually every recreational drug contained a carbon backbone. But there were odd spikes in the spectrograph that didn't correspond to any element they expected to find.

The sample was also slightly radioactive. Not enough to cause a health hazard, but it intrigued Urahara nonetheless. Radioactive materials were hard to get ahold of, and impossible to synthesize without specialized equipment. He should know; it had taken him over a decade to acquire the right machinery. The former captain smirked. That was not something you told a police officer, no matter how much you wanted to see her reaction.

Though Suzuki may have understood. She had certainly taken the existence of shinigami and hollows in stride. Urahara studied the coroner from under the brim of his hat, pretending to remain focused solely on the data spread out before them. Resourceful, blunt, and accepting no nonsense from anyone: she could be a useful ally. Shinji, laughing uproariously, had described how Suzuki took down Yoruichi; Kisuke would not let her forget that in a hurry!

"The biggest question is why the drug kills so many who ingest it," Suzuki muttered, leafing through the victim dossiers. "You said you've encountered eight of these doom beasts, correct?"

"Mm, and there were two more that were detected, though I didn't see either one," Urahara confirmed absently. There was something in that data that was trying to catch his attention, but it kept slipping just out of reach.

"There have now been 35 reported deaths, which means there are probably another seven or eight, minimum, unreported," Suzuki informed him. "So at least three-quarters of victims die without transforming."

"Odd," Urahara mused, only half-listening. Then his head shot up. "Wait, say that again."

"Over three-quarters of people who take this drug die?" Suzuki asked, bemused.

"Yes…" the former captain said slowly. "Between 20% and 25% of the homeless suffer from mental illness…" He trailed off, fiddling with his fan. "Most of the victims are homeless, correct?" Suzuki nodded, though Urahara didn't need the confirmation. "The others may not be homeless, but they're certainly struggling. Which also corresponds to a higher proportion of mental illness." He frowned, rifling through the papers hurriedly. "But none of the victims' files described them as having any mental problems."

Suzuki sighed. "It's not nearly as easy to detect as a physical problem," she warned. "Many of the files are missing information; the state of the victim's mental health is not always known. Especially when they're homeless."

Urahara shook his head excitedly. "I could believe that about some of them, but all of them? It's irregular, to say the least." He grabbed the mouse, typing the name Jamie Ito into the database search box. A new window popped up, displaying a picture of a blond man with sad blue eyes. "We are fairly sure that he was transformed into one of the doom beasts. And look: treated for acute schizophrenia. I bet, if we can identify the other transformed victims, they'll all have some form of mental illness."

"You may be right," Suzuki admitted. "But how does that help us?"

The former captain paused, shoulders slumping. "I'm not sure yet."

"Well, mental illness does change the neurochemical composition of the brain," Suzuki mused. "Possibly the drug needs the mutated receptors to fully activate?"

Urahara flipped his fan over his hands, eyes distant. "Possible, but I doubt it. No human chemist could create the effects we're seeing. There's kido manipulation involved somehow. Though the mutations in the chemical receptors could open up pathways that are normally closed, allowing the transformation to take effect…" He let the words fade into silence, running through scenarios in his head. _How would I go about it, if I wanted to create monsters?_ He snapped the fan shut irritably. _Not using drugs. Spells are easier to control and more precise. And I certainly wouldn't target mentally ill humans. The likelihood of a flawed creation would be astronomical, when using such flawed base material_.

Suzuki watched him mumble to himself. When it became clear that he wasn't going to resurface anytime soon, she snapped her fingers. He looked up, eyes wide. "You were talking to yourself," she pointed out dryly.

He flushed slightly. "Ah, well, my apologies." He gestured to the machines lining the walls. "Have you compared the samples to the common drugs used to treat conditions such as depression?"

"Not yet. But, in light of what we suspect, that would be a good test. If it binds to the neurons in the same way as drugs like, for instance, Prozac, we may have discovered something important."

Before they could complete the tests, however, a rookie officer tapped on the morgue door. "Ma'am? You're needed in the field; there's been another body found."

Urahara rose gracefully, settling the folds of his green coat around him. "I suppose our results will have to wait, then. Shall I return tomorrow?"

Suzuki eyed him for a few seconds, an inscrutable look on her face. "Don't bother. They should be done by the time we return, unless you have somewhere else to be." Urahara tipped his hat down, hiding the glimmer of triumph in his eyes. She was starting to accept his presence, then. Good.

"Ma'am? Is your, um, consultant coming along too?" the officer asked nervously.

She nodded. "Is there a problem with that?" Her tone suggested that an affirmative response would not be welcome. The kid shook his head, cowed. She gestured to Urahara. "Let's go. Don't touch anything, don't even breath on anything at the crime scene," she ordered. He followed her out of the station and to a large grey van stamped with the police logo on both sides. She drove like a maniac, he noted in a corner of his mind. _Worse than Kensei, and that was saying something_.

Somehow they arrived safely, pulling up behind several cop cars on the side of the highway. The cars had their lights flashing, but the sirens were thankfully silent. Suzuki vaulted the guard rail, landing easily in the unkempt grass on the other side. "There's a small homeless encampment here," she explained, motioning to a collection of tents clustered around a spindly pine tree. "The city looks the other way so long as they don't cause any trouble."

Urahara wrinkled his nose as he caught a whiff of stale urine and beer on the breeze. "How long have they been there?" he asked curiously.

Suzuki shrugged. "Years? I'm not a beat cop, so I don't know for sure."

"Camp's been here for at least five years," a heavyset man remarked as he strode over to them. "Suzuki-san, always a pleasure. And this is?"

"Kisuke Urahara," Suzuki introduced. "He's consulting with me on the case, so I thought I'd bring him along."

The man, who bore the insignia of a sergeant, stuck out his hand for Urahara to shake. "Daisuke Hiro, sergeant of Precinct Five." Urahara was pleasantly surprised by the man's grasp, which was firm without being too forceful.

"A pleasure to meet you, Hiro-san," Urahara said cheerfully. "I take it you're in charge of this case?" Hiro nodded curtly.

"Anything unusual?" Suzuki asked, leading the way towards the body sprawled in the dirt. As with the other victims, dark veins mottled the pallid skin, which hung loosely over shrunken muscles. Up close, the body stank of sweat, alcohol, and less mentionable things.

Hiro shook his head. "Nothing that we haven't seen before. The other residents of the camp say they didn't see anything, of course. A tourist called us when his car got a flat tire and he spotted the body in the grass."

"Lovely," the coroner remarked sarcastically. "Did the tourist see anything?" She knelt beside the body, snapping on a pair of plastic gloves.

"No, though we've got his name and contact information in case we need to question him further," Hiro replied as Suzuki lifted an eyelid, muttering to herself.

She poked and prodded for a few minutes before announcing, "Cause of death appears to be the mystery drug, though I have to get him back to the lab to know more. He died between eleven and one last night." She groaned as she rose to her feet. "Thirty-six dead in a week. The brass are not going to be pleased that tourists are starting to notice."

"Thirty-nine," the sergeant corrected. "Precincts Two, Seven, and Eight all reported finding bodies matching the pattern as well."

Suzuki swore heatedly. "They can't just keep pretending that a bad batch of something has hit the streets, and that it's none of our concern."

Hiro sighed. "You know as well as I that we don't have the manpower to conduct a search for one lowlife drug dealer. Hell, we don't even know what drug it is."

"We also don't know that it's just one dealer," Suzuki snapped.

The sergeant ran his fingers through his mousy brown hair, eyes dark. "I know, but until we have something to go off of, we can't commit the manpower to a wild goose chase." One of his men hailed him, and he turned to go, saying over his shoulder, "Get me something, anything, and I'll put my best team on it." Urahara watched the man go, intrigued by the exchange. The sergeant seemed like a good man, just overworked and underpaid. _Though most humans would probably claim the same is true about them_ , he thought wryly. Still, he wasn't entirely complacent, which could come in handy. Urahara toyed with the idea of using the police as decoys before discarding it regretfully. Whoever the creator of this drug was, he was brilliant. He or she would hardly fall for such a simple trick. No, if he employed the police force in his plans, he would need to be a bit more subtle.

Suzuki huffed, lips pressed firmly together. "Nearly forty deaths in a week, when we'd usually see one or two, and we can't devote a few men to pursue the case?" she snarled softly.

"The poor are not usually considered worthy of much care," Urahara pointed out in a neutral tone.

She gave him a disgusted look. "And that makes it better?"

He shook his head soberly. "No, but it makes it understandable." Just look how the residents of the Seireitei treated anyone from Rukongai. Even Yoruichi displayed flashes of that unconscious superiority on occasion, and she was the most free-spirited noble he'd ever met.

The coroner's eyes narrowed, but she didn't dispute his assertion. Instead, she asked sharply, "What can your group do?"

Urahara let his fan fall open, fluttering it gently. "I'm not really sure what you're asking," he replied coyly.

She planted her fists on her hips. "Don't play dumb." She lowered her voice. "You can go anywhere, unseen by the vast majority of people. You also may be the only people who can understand what's actually going on. It's only luck that the media hasn't caught wind of vicious monsters roaming the suburbs."

"Luck, or our efforts at eradicating them," the shopkeeper pointed out genially. Though he had to admit, if only to himself, that luck played a large part in that. As well as judicious memory modification.

She glared at him. "So what happens when you get there a little too late? Humans die, reporters notice, and then everything goes up in flames. It'll be a manhunt, and you'll be just as much of a target as the perpetrator." Urahara winced. _Touché_. It was just a matter of time before one of the doom beasts spawned in a crowded area. Combine that with the way they were getting stronger, and it was a recipe for eventual disaster. Humans had advanced in many ways, but their mob mentality when afraid hadn't changed.

The former captain sighed internally. "I'll see what I can do," he promised. When she looked rebellious, he added, "I can't say anything else until I talk to everyone else."

"How many of you are there, anyway?" she asked in frustration.

"Around a dozen," he replied vaguely. She was just a human – there was no reason to spill all of their secrets.

Suzuki rolled her eyes, but chose to ignore the obvious evasion. "So will you help? At least see if you can find the dealers?"

Urahara pulled his hat down over his face. She made it sound so simple, but she was missing several key pieces of information. Though he had no proof, he suspected that most, if not all, of the victims had possessed high spiritual pressure. It was only logical. Easier to stimulate reiatsu growth in a human who was already sensitive to spirit energy, rather than one who was dead to the spirit world. That made it easier to find potential victims, but also harder to approach them unobserved.

More importantly, however, they had no idea who was creating this drug. Urahara only knew two people, besides himself, who could have done something like this. But neither of them were likely suspects. Aizen had been stripped of his reiatsu and imprisoned, and he far preferred kido over chemistry. Kurotsuchi had the capability and the necessary psychopathy, but he had been the one to bring the problem to their attention. Why do that, if he was the one creating it? Urahara doubted that his former pupil had the brains to avert suspicion from himself by deliberately exposing his own experiments. So that meant there was a third scientific genius out there with knowledge of the spirit world. Human, hollow, or shinigami, or yet another race: they simply didn't know. Urahara disliked the feeling immensely.

After all, a chess master needed to know how each piece on the board moved.

Suzuki was staring at him expectantly. He could feel her gaze as a tangible weight on his skin. That was Yoruichi's favorite trick as well, though she usually backed it up with the pressure of her reiatsu. The coroner didn't need spirit energy to be intimidating.

Urahara dropped his gaze to the body at his feet. Who had he been, when alive? Who would he be now, in the Soul Society? Not that it mattered much, he supposed dispassionately. He raised his head, giving Suzuki a cheery grin. "Of course we'll help!" he declared. Though she was only human, she had the potential to be a useful ally, and he never threw away possible tools. He gave her a little bow. "I really should talk to the others, though," he informed her. "Can I stop by tomorrow for those results?"

The coroner nodded. "I understand. Do you have a way home?" She was smart enough not to ask for specifics; he wouldn't give them to her.

Urahara shrugged. "I'll be fine," he promised nonchalantly. There were a few too many people around to use shunpo, but he could always ask Yoruichi or Shinji for a ride. In fact, may as well do that now. He dug out his cell phone, ignored Yoruichi's scathing remarks about having better things to do that run after him all the time, and hung up. "My ride will be here shortly."

Yoruichi spent the drive back to the shoten badgering him about his discoveries, but Urahara refused to tell her anything. Whenever she asked, he gave her an inscrutable smile and a wink. He would pay for tweaking her tail later, of course, but sometimes that was nearly as enjoyable as annoying her in the first place. A smirk crept over his face.

Yoruichi snarled at him, knowing exactly where his thoughts were heading. "Get your mind out of the gutter!" she snapped.

"Oh, but you love the ideas I come up with," he purred. She punched his shoulder, not taking her eyes off the road.

He received another punch from Hiyori when he told the assembled vizards and shinigami of his promise to Suzuki. "What the fuck were you thinking, idiot?" she swore fiercely. "We can't just go around hunting for some asshole drug dealer!" Juushiro winced at the crudities. Hiyori smacked Urahara over the head with her sandal, glaring.

"You know, she has a point," Shinji drawled. "We do have jobs to go to."

"You do?" Juushiro asked, surprised. "Really?"

The blond vizard shrugged. "It gets boring training all the time, and patrolling for hollows isn't much better. Plus we still need to eat. So we pick up odd jobs once in a while."

"Like what?" Shunsui asked. He leered at Lisa. "Lisa-chan would make a great model, don't you think?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm a programmer, actually. Flexible hours, working from home, always a new project… it's fun." She ran her gaze over the other vizards. "Let's see. Rose is part of an orchestra at the moment, Love has a part-time job as a bouncer, and Shinji is bartending at the same place Love works. The rest are unemployed right now."

"But that's off-topic," Shinji stated. "Kisuke, did you bother to think before you told Suzuki that we'd find the drug dealers?"

Urahara looked offended. "Of course! And I said we'd try to find them, not that we'd definitely find them."

"So how do you propose we do that?" Nanao asked calmly.

The shopkeeper toyed with the brim of his hat. "That's the thing. I have an idea, but you're not going to like it." He waved them towards the cushions. "You may want to sit down. There's a story I'd like to tell before I explain." They complied with various expressions, ranging from curiosity to wariness. Urahara took a breath, looking around the rough circle. "It all began six years ago…"


	17. Diamonds in the Rough

**Author's Note:**

This is a short chapter, which is why it's posted early; there will be another one coming soon, I promise!

* * *

 **Chapter 17: Diamonds in the Rough  
**

He hadn't always hated winter. In Soul Society, winter meant snowball fights and ice skating and grounds covered with a dusting of pristine white snow. The sun still shone, and reiatsu provided an effective shell against the cold. It really wasn't very cold anyway, not like here. He would never get used to the way the cold bit at the skin of his gigai, leaving it reddened and chapped. Smog and soot turned the snow a dirty brown the instant they hit the ground; even the falling flakes bore a faint hint of gray. People went about their business in silent misery, heads lowered and hands stuffed in pockets. Passing cars spattered pedestrians with grime before roaring onwards.

No, he didn't enjoy winter anymore. He missed the carefree days when he was a child in the Shihoin mansion, playing with Yoruichi and Tessai. Or even the winters while he served as the head of the punishment force; he still made time for fun then. Here, in this dismal city, there were few opportunities for enjoyment. Nearly a hundred years in exile, and he still missed the Seireitei. How pathetic was that?

Yoruichi understood. He suspected that she felt the same way, though she'd never admit it. She preferred her cat form during the long winter nights, often curling up in a ball of fur on his chest. He took comfort from her warmth – it was good to know that he wasn't completely alone.

She did her best to take care of him, too, teasing him and making him tea. She had declared his tea could have been used as a torture device, when he first tried to make it, and never let him forget it. Most of all, she never mentioned the occasional melancholy fits that sapped his energy for days. In return, he always left out a saucer of warm milk in the evenings, scratched behind her ears when she twined against him, and never commented on her sporadic disappearances.

Even Yoruichi had her limits, however. One evening, after he spent days moping in his lab without accomplishing anything, she kicked him out of the shop. "Go hunt some hollows or spar with Shinji, or just take a walk," she ordered firmly. "You've spent far too long cooped up indoors. When was the last time you saw the sky?" The familiar words made him smile slightly. She'd say the exact same thing whenever he grew too immersed in an experiment, dragging him outside before he could forget that it existed. This time, though, he had no energy to do anything. He tried to give her a pleading look, but she folded her arms and stared at him. "Go."

He went. After a while aimlessly wandering the streets, he had to admit it was a good idea. The stars were beginning to appear, twinkling brightly in total disregard of the pollution below. The streets were deserted, and the silence felt truly peaceful for once. No cars roaring past, no squabbling couples or screaming children bickering. In this part of town, streetlights were few and far between, but he was accustomed to tracing a path through the darkness.

His fingers had grown numb when he felt the touch of hollow reiatsu drifting through the air. Benihime, his bloodthirsty crimson princess, woke with a vicious glee. A hollow hunt was just the thing to destroy melancholy, she thought. It had been too long since he last used her, and she yearned for blood. He shushed her silently, reminding her that they couldn't reveal their presence in this town. She hissed in frustration, but subsided. She knew as well as he that a shikai release would be disastrous here.

Not that one would be necessary. A quick shunpo step brought him to the top of a nearby apartment building, where he could survey the situation. The hollow, a four-legged beast resembling a gargantuan spiky dog, was easy to spot. It hulked in an alleyway, scarlet eyes gleaming as it stared down at something caught between its paws. From his vantage point, he couldn't quite see what had it so fascinated.

"Hey! Ugly! Get away from her!"

Urahara started. That sounded like a child's voice. He flashed towards the hollow, only to see it rear up and roar in pain. Landing on a rooftop above it, he stared down at a young redheaded boy defiantly brandishing a crowbar at the massive monster. A small girl crouched timidly behind him, tangled black hair concealing her face. The hollow swiped a paw at the boy, who tumbled out of the way and smashed his crowbar into the hollow's ankle. The blow crushed muscle and bone, leaving the hollow limping on three legs. It snarled and snapped its foot-long fangs at the kid, dripping ichor from its wounded paw. Urahara winced as the redhead, while avoiding the slavering jaw, failed to dodge a paw that hit him with the force of a bullet train. He flew sideways, crashing into a brick wall with a crunch.

"Jinta!" The scream pierced the air. Urahara watched in amazement as the girl _moved_ , uncurling and darting towards the hollow as fast as a soul reaper. _Not so timid after all, when given the right motivation_. The calculating part of his brain urged him to watch a little longer, while the rest of him cringed at allowing a child to be hurt just to satisfy his scientific curiosity. Benihime sang in the back of his mind, thirsting for the thrill of battle. She couldn't care less if a few nameless humans died. He rested a hand on her hilt, urging patience. _Just a little while longer_ , he promised soothingly.

Or maybe not.

The girl flew towards the hollow, screaming wordlessly. Her black hair streamed behind her, lit with the eerie glow of unrestrained spirit energy. That same glow deadened her gaze and haloed her clenched fists as she drove both of them square into the canine mask. No technique or tactics, but her aim was true. The bone shuddered under the impact. Cracks streaked across it in a crazy spiderweb of damage, making the hollow yelp.

She slammed her fists into it again. To Urahara's utter astonishment, the mask disintegrated with the force of the blow. The rest of the body followed rapidly, until only ashes remained. The girl dropped lightly to the ground, life reappearing in her eyes. She whimpered the boy's name and ran over to him, tears dripping down her cheeks.

"I'm fine, idiot," the redhead groaned, pushing himself upright. He rose dizzily, glaring at her as if silently daring her to comment on his weakness. She wrung her hands together, eyes impossibly wide. "C'mon, Ururu, get going," he ordered hoarsely. She trotted off without a protest, retrieving a canvas sack from beside a dumpster before following the boy out of the alley.

Urahara watched them go, frowning. _Ururu and Jinta. I must remember those names. Such unusual capabilities, especially in two so young. And purely human as well_. Though that was harder to know for sure. Their reiatsu didn't have the lightning crackle of the Quincy, nor the unearthly chill of a shinigami. But there were other races, and he was not so arrogant to think he knew them all. _Regardless, those two will bear careful observation_.

He told Yoruichi as much when he returned to his shop, only to have her tartly inquire how he planned to watch two street kids without utterly terrifying them. He flashed her a devious smile. "That's where you come in," he explained slyly.

"No. Oh, no." He gave her a pleading look. "No. I want no part in whatever mad scheme you're planning," she announced.

"But Yoruichi," he begged, "don't you want to help such sweet kids?" She eyed him coolly, unimpressed by his plea. "In your other form they won't be suspicious of you at all, and it would be terrible if they were killed because their spiritual pressure attracted a hollow they couldn't fight." She still looked unconvinced, so he added persuasively, "I'll give you fresh fish every night for a week if you help me out here."

She cocked her head to one side. "For a month, and it had better be salmon." He nodded eagerly, and she grinned. "Well, then, I suppose I'll go find them," she purred, sauntering away with a distinct swing in her hips. He admired the view until she was out of sight, ignoring the nibbling suspicion that she'd just played him. If so, it wouldn't be the first time, or even the hundredth.

Yoruichi reported back in the next morning, fur muddy and tangled with leaves. "You definitely owe me," she informed Urahara frostily after she shifted into her human form. He immediately wrapped a blanket around her and pressed a mug of hot chocolate into her hands. She sighed with pleasure, inhaling the delicious scent.

"So, what did you find?" he prompted eagerly.

"They're holed up in an abandoned bomb shelter with a bunch of other kids," she reported after taking a sip of cocoa. "The pair you spotted are the youngest and the strongest, but the rest have varying levels of reiatsu as well. I didn't see any adults around."

"Interesting," the shopkeeper mused. "I wonder if that's a coincidence." Not likely, but he supposed it could be possible.

Yoruichi shrugged. "Anyway, they thought I was some random stray, so they let me in. That girl,"

"Ururu," Urahara supplied.

"Ururu, yeah. She even gave me a bit of beef jerky, though they didn't have much food around. Mostly cans and packaged things, a lot of junk food." The Shihoin heir rolled her eyes. "Then she proceeded to thread pink bows through my fur, until I looked like a walking doll." She glared at Urahara. "You know how long it took to get rid of them? You owe me."

Urahara stepped closer, eyes lidded. "I think I know how to make it up to you," he breathed, running his hands up her arms to tangle in her long purple hair. She purred, arching into the caress, and he laughed.

Neither spoke again about the children until the next morning.

It became routine for Yoruichi to spend time with Ururu and Jinta during the day, while Urahara trailed them from a distance at night. When not fighting hollows, the pair made an effective pickpocket team. Ururu, with her wide purple eyes and innocent face, could easily distract passerby while Jinta snuck a hand into their pockets. People rarely noticed, too busy cooing over the sweet young girl to feel the stealthy hand through layers of bulky winter clothing. They often offered to help her, but any mention of her parents or foster care made her flinch and shrink away.

Three weeks later, Urahara still couldn't come up with any way of getting closer to the kids. They vanished in the blink of an eye when they felt threatened, and any action taken by an adult was threatening to them. Even Jinta, loud and abrasive as he was, tensed when people got too close to him. Urahara wanted to offer them food or clothing, but Jinta scorned any offers of help from passerby. Ururu was more practical, but always yielded to Jinta when his pride forced him to refuse charity. They needed warmer clothes as the nights grew colder, but the shopkeeper knew he couldn't just give them something.

"So offer them a job," Yoruichi suggested when he complained to her. "Really, Mister I'm-such-a-genius, you couldn't come up with that?"

Urahara looked at her blankly. "Doing what? They're far too young to help in the lab."

Tessai, sweeping the floor of the shop, sighed patiently. "Boss, they could help with the store. You're much too busy to keep it clean and organized, and I could use the assistance." Yoruichi nodded in agreement, giving him her patented 'you're an idiot' look.

"I don't want to keep them," he protested weakly. "Just help them out a little."

"Having a few kids running around would be good for the place," Tessai opined soberly.

Yoruichi smirked. "Besides, they need training, and you need to get out of that musty lab for once. Win-win." She planted her hands on her hips, one eyebrow raised.

Urahara pouted. When she got like that, he knew he wouldn't win. "Fine, alright," he muttered. "I'll see if they want a job."


	18. Flying Free

**Author's Note:**

This may be the last chapter I post for a while, as I've gotten several negative reviews on recent chapters and it feels like people are getting bored with the direction the story is taking. Walter Smith said in 1949, "Writing is easy. You just open a vein and bleed," and I feel like that perfectly encapsulates my writing style. It's very personal, and every chapter I post leaves me feeling vulnerable and worried. Winter is playing havoc with my depression right now, and the lack of positive response isn't helping, so I may stop writing for a bit, until I'm feeling better.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I know my writing isn't for everyone. So I know some people will think a chapter is worthless. However, if the only feedback is negative, it doesn't help me improve, and it makes me wonder why I bother writing. So please, think before you post a disparaging review, on mine or anyone else's stories. These are pieces that every author here labors over, and it's discouraging and depressing to be told that it's pointless or stupid.

* * *

 **Chapter 18: Flying Free  
**

The shopkeeper lifted his hat, eying his audience. "It took a while to gain their trust, but that's how Ururu and Jinta ended up here."

"So what?" Hiyori snapped, shifting restlessly.

Shinji blinked, head jerking up as if he'd been dozing. "I have to agree with the midget, why's this so important?"

"Who are you calling a midget?" the short vizard snarled, smacking Shinji over the head. He blocked without looking at her, making her growl and kick him in the shin.

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Children," she muttered, pushing her glasses up her nose.

Urahara blithely ignored them. "You see, if we want to find this dealer, we have to find someone who knows him."

"Or her," Yoruichi added sotto voce.

"Or her," Urahara confirmed. "As he or she seems to be primarily targeting the homeless, that narrows down our targets quite a bit. However, we are unlikely to find the information we seek in homeless shelters or soup kitchens."

Nanao furrowed her brow. "Why not?"

"Because they won't talk to you," a soft voice explained. The assembled vizards and shinigami started. Somehow, without any of them noticing, Ururu had snuck into the room. She bowed her head, cheeks flushing hotly as everyone looked at her. "They don't trust strangers," she added in a whisper.

"'Specially not ones who look like you guys," Jinta added scornfully, following Ururu through the doorway. "Too well fed, too frilly, and it's pretty clear you can fight." Rose looked like he wanted to protest 'too frilly,' but decided against it when Love frowned at him. Jinta eyed Lisa and Nanao. "You two they might talk to, you're pretty enough and not intimidating." He glanced over at Hiyori, now glaring angrily at Shinji. "Maybe you too, if you'd tone down the whole attitude you have, like you're about to kill something. You could pass as a kid, I bet."

"Hey, brat! I'm no kid!" Hiyori yelled.

"Well, you do kinda look like one," Shinji mused. She whirled on him furiously, beating him with her sandal.

"Enough," Lisa sighed wearily. She turned to Jinta and Ururu, ignoring the scuffle behind her. "So you think Nanao and I could get the information we need?" Jinta shrugged.

Urahara fluttered his fan, reclaiming her attention. "Ah, there's just one catch to that," he warned lightly. "If, as I suspect, this dealer is not human, he may be able to sense that you're not human either. The gigais you both wear are top-of-the-line, but they don't completely conceal reiatsu from someone in your physical proximity. I can create a device that will fully mask your spirit energy, but it will prevent you from utilizing your reiatsu so long as it's active."

Shunsui bolted upright, eyes narrowed. "Absolutely not," he declared, glancing protectively at Nanao. "There's no way they're going out there completely unable to defend themselves."

Nanao returned his look coldly. "Sir, it's not your decision," she pointed out calmly.

That began an hour-long argument over the best way to track down the mysterious dealer. Urahara was adamant that they needed to be on the streets to find him, and Jinta equally insistent that the homeless were only likely to talk to Lisa, Nanao, or Hiyori. Ururu, when pressed, admitted that she agreed with Jinta, who tugged her pigtail almost affectionately. While it wasn't a guarantee, the three women had the best chance to convince someone to open up. However, Urahara insisted that their current gigais were not good enough, that they'd scare away the dealer if he got wind of them.

Privately, Nanao wondered if the scientist had an ulterior motive for urging them to use his special new reiatsu-blocking prototypes. Were they supposed to act as bait of some sort? After all, if they were just talking to people on the street, their current gigais – which concealed around 95% of their spirit energy – were perfect. No human, even one with high spiritual pressure, would be able to sense their nature so long as they suppressed their own reiatsu. And it was unlikely that they'd run into the dealer completely by accident in such a large city. While it was a risk, it wasn't a very pressing one. She attempted to politely point this out to Urahara, but he gave her a rambling explanation that, she realized after he finished, lacked any substantive answers. It didn't quell her suspicions, but she had a more pressing problem to deal with.

Namely, her captain. Shunsui was positive that Urahara's idea would get them all killed, and argued that point forcefully. Shinji sounded unhappy with it as well, though Hiyori's death glare silenced him after a few aborted protests. The petite vizard snarled that she could kick his ass anytime she wanted, so she'd have no trouble with a few street toughs. He mumbled that she used reiatsu to do it; she responded by kicking him. Even without her spirit energy behind the blow, she packed quite a punch. Nanao didn't have her raw power, but, like all soul reapers, she knew how to defend herself. Shunsui wasn't buying it, though.

"What if you get attacked?" he demanded in frustration. "I doubt these gang members play fair. You won't have kido or your zanpakuto."

"Taicho, I may not have Soi Fon's skill at hand-to-hand combat, but I know how to fight barehanded. I am a lieutenant of the thirteen court guard squads! I am perfectly capable of handling a few humans."

Yoruichi stepped forward before Shunsui could respond. "I can give all of them extra training as well, to make sure they're fully prepared for any situation," she suggested. Shunsui couldn't deny that the former leader of the stealth force would be a good teacher, but he still tried to argue. She ran right over his objections, saying, "Furthermore, in my feline form, I can accompany them and provide a bit of extra protection."

And so the debate continued.

Rose startled all of them by volunteering to work the streets as a busker, to see if he could hear any rumors that way. "You'll have to get rid of that stupid outfit," Jinta pointed out rudely. The elegant man merely shrugged in acceptance, while the other vizards snickered.

"I'll set up near the shantytown in Nishinari Park," Rose explained calmly. "The park is a tourist destination, so it won't look unusual for a busker to be there. And yes, I do comprehend that my current attire is hardly suitable for a street musician. However, it is hardly stupid." He tossed his long blond hair out of his eyes, giving Jinta a condescending look. "You are simply too young to appreciate fashion." Jinta snorted.

That gave them eyes and ears in one of the biggest gathering places of the homeless population, but there were three more major parks with large shantytowns, as well as numerous smaller gatherings. Lisa declared that she would stake out Nagai Park, near the western edge of the city; Hiyori claimed Yoyogi Park. That left Shinjuko Garden, a sprawling meadow not too far from the shoten, for Nanao.

She expected vehement objections from Shunsui, but Lisa forestalled his speech when she asked practically, "How will we explain our repeated absences? I doubt any of us want to be there full time, but they're bound to get suspicious if we never spend the night in the camps."

"An excellent point," Urahara mused. "Ururu? Jinta? You know this world better than any of us." While the exiles had been homeless at one point, that had been at the turn of the century. Lessons learned then were hardly useful in the modern day and age.

Ururu fidgeted, playing with the tip of her ponytail. "Well, plenty of girls… um, you know… would get picked up by men in fancy cars," she stuttered. The ever-present blush on her cheeks flared even hotter.

Shinji smirked. "The midget's nowhere near cute enough to pull that off. Besides, she looks way too young." Lisa sighed, glaring at Shinji as she snagged Hiyori's collar. The younger vizard struggled, trying to hit Shinji, but Lisa refused to let her go.

"Actually, um… well…" Ururu trailed off, looking at the ground like she wanted to sink into it and disappear.

Jinta took pity on her. "The guys like that," he explained bluntly. "Girls would wear school uniforms and try to look younger than they were."

Juushiro flinched, eyes wide. "That's appalling," he gasped.

Jinta shrugged. "Nah. The girls don't care. Most of them were doing it for stupid reasons, to get the newest handbag or pair of heels or something. They weren't homeless or anything, just bored and greedy."

"Still, they're children," the pale captain murmured, looking sick. "Children should not subject themselves to that."

Nanao looked at him soberly. "Have you ever been out to the higher-numbered districts in Rukongai, Ukitake-san? Children sell themselves there, as well. They do it for survival. If these girls have a choice, they're better off than most." Juushiro looked down, eyes dark with sadness.

"So that gives Hiyori the perfect excuse to leave every night," Lisa commented. "If she's pretending to be a school girl, hanging out at the park until nightfall, no one will question it when she leaves. They'll all assume she's either going home or searching for customers."

Shinji grinned at Lisa. "And we can always send a car around for you girls, make it look like you're getting picked up for the night."

"In that case, I'll leave Nagai park for someone else," Lisa responded. "Kabukicho District has just as many drug dealers, and a prostitute will fit right in there."

"True," Shinji concurred. "It's a hotbed of yakuza activity; you're more likely to hear something there than anywhere else."

"You'll want to be careful to avoid the local family members who run the prostitution rings," Urahara suggested. "But I believe this is a workable plan."

Shunsui, who had been sitting in silent shock until now, finally spoke up. "I can't believe you think this will work! Who knows how many predators are out there? And what if this dealer gets his hands on one of them while they're defenseless?"

"They'll be able to disable the devices within seconds if danger threatens," Yoruichi said placatingly. "And I'll roam between the parks to keep an eye on them as well."

"That's not good enough," Shunsui said mulishly. His stomach churned at the thought of allowing Nanao, or even Lisa, into that much danger.

Juushiro reached out, encircling his lover's wrist with a firm hand. "Shunsui, love, can I talk to you?" he requested. It wasn't a question.

The pale captain led Shunsui down the hall, into a small guest bedroom. He closed the door behind them, leaning up against it with a casual expression. Shunsui wasn't fooled. When his partner got that look in his eye, there was no easy escape.

The flamboyant captain flopped down on the futon, wishing that he had his hat to shade his eyes. "Yes, dear?" he asked with forced nonchalance.

Juushiro crossed his arms, watching Shunsui carefully. "What's wrong? You're not usually this unreasonable."

 _Trust the white-haired captain to cut right to the heart of the matter_ , Shunsui thought wryly. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know. I just… this is bringing up some bad memories." Like sending Lisa off on a mundane mission, only to lose her forever. Like holding Nanao in his arms as she fought for air after collapsing under Yamamoto's fiery reiatsu.

Juushiro nodded sympathetically. He understood; he bore similar memories, after all. But that didn't excuse Shunsui's behavior. "This isn't the same thing," he pointed out softly.

"Isn't it?" Shunsui snapped back. "There's an unknown menace out there, transforming humans into monsters. We don't know how or why, or when he'll strike again. And they want to go out there completely helpless. I can't believe Urahara suggested it, or that they agreed."

"I don't completely trust his motives," Juushiro admitted. "He does have a penchant for using people as pawns. But his games generally have the greater good in mind."

"By whose definition?" Shunsui challenged. In truth, the former shinigami captain wasn't malicious. But his belief in his own intelligence made some of his decisions questionable at best. In the privacy of his own mind, Shunsui had to admit that part of his discomfort came from the knowledge of their similarities. He and Urahara both played dangerous games, with precious stakes. When you toyed with hearts and minds, that was inevitable. Shunsui wanted to believe that he always had the purest intentions, but he'd slipped into gray areas more than once. More often than not, it had been Juushiro who dragged him out of the shadows. Did Yoruichi serve that function for Urahara? He didn't know, and that bothered him.

"Often his own," Juushiro conceded. He didn't try to defend the shopkeeper; he still hadn't completely forgiven him for his part in Rukia's near-execution. "But that's not really the issue here. You resisted putting Nanao in any danger long before he unveiled his latest plan."

Shunsui sighed. His lover knew him far too well. "I don't want to lose her," he sighed. "I… I care about her."

"Of course you do. She's your fukutaicho and a good friend," Juushiro replied. He spread his hands, urging his partner to say more.

The flamboyant captain rolled his eyes, knowing what Juushiro wanted him to admit. "You know what I mean! It scares me to think of losing her, the way I lost Lisa-chan." And very little scared the powerful shinigami. But he'd known the icy grip of terror when Yamamoto had thundered, "I do not have time to teach you how to breathe!" in a voice like a raging inferno. Nanao's slender body had crumpled to the ground, panic quickly overtaking shock on her face. Her chest had heaved as she struggled to inhale, only to be crushed by the weight of that burning spiritual pressure. He'd abandoned the battle at once to sweep her to safety. She'd weighed so little in his arms, like a fragile baby bird. Though he knew he had rescued her before any harm could occur, that moment had joined the other terrible memories he kept locked away in the back of his mind – memories that drove him to drink, to bury himself in the scent of a willing partner so he could forget for a little while.

He didn't realize how hard his fists were clenched until Juushiro reached out and gently uncurled his fingers, lacing their hands together. "You're not going to lose her," he said reassuringly.

"But what if I do?" Shunsui whispered unhappily. Losing Lisa had been devastating, and she'd only been a good friend and an occasional lover. Nanao had the potential to be more, far more.

At first, he'd flirted with her to get a reaction. She had been so prim, so proper, that any spark of emotion was a rare treasure. A small, shameful part of him had hoped that his incessant harassment would drive her away, so he wouldn't be reminded of Lisa every time he turned around. But she'd persevered for far longer than he expected before reacting. And instead of transferring, she'd pinned him down with a high-level kido and informed him calmly that, as her captain, he needed to maintain proper boundaries. After that, they'd developed a tentative friendship that grew into something much stronger. He still flirted, but now it was a game they both enjoyed. She knew that he'd stop if she asked seriously, but she didn't ask. She smacked him, threw fireballs at him, and yelled at him, but that was just her way of playing along. He'd asked her multiple times if she actually wanted him to stop, and she always refused. Her relaxation around him, and almost no one else, was proof of her true feelings.

Or rather, proof of the depth of their friendship, at any rate. He still had no idea if she had the slightest interest in anything more. That didn't prevent him from hoping, though. So he teased her and flirted outrageously, searching for a sign that she returned his affections. It may not have been the best way to go about it, but he didn't want to jeopardize their friendship. For all he knew, she wasn't interested in a polyamorous relationship. His Nanao-chan kept her romantic inclinations, if she had any, well hidden.

Juushiro pulled their clasped hands up, kissing his fingers softly. "We'll get through it together if that occurs," he promised. Shunsui appreciated that. In their line of work, death was an ever-present danger, and platitudes about never losing someone always rang false.

"You care about her too, don't you," he murmured, tugging his lover closer.

Juushiro sighed, resting his head on Shunsui's shoulder. "I do. Maybe more than I should, all things considering."

"Why do you say that?" Shunsui asked in surprise.

"We've seen so many people die," the pale captain explained sadly. "I don't want to see her hurt, either, but we can't shelter her forever. Sometimes I think it'd be easier just to avoid any more romantic entanglements." Shunsui nuzzled his lover's hair in understanding. It was why he mainly stuck to one-night stands, after all. A bit of fun for a few hours had no potential for heartache or loss. They'd both had serious relationships with other people, but their partners inevitably moved on or died in the line of duty. It eventually grew discouraging. Shunsui could count the number of intimate relationships he'd had in the centuries since they became captains on one hand. And for Juushiro the number was even smaller.

To banish the surge of melancholy, Shunsui tangled his hand in his lover's long hair and tugged deliberately. Juushiro's breath hitched as he looked up, emerald eyes darkening. Shunsui claimed his soft lips in a possessive kiss, making the white-haired captain gasp. "I love you," he whispered heatedly against pale skin.

"Love you too," Juushiro breathed softly. He wrapped his arms around his lover, twining his reiatsu around them both in a comforting embrace.

A few minutes later, he straightened up, favoring Shunsui with a sardonic glance. "You know, we still haven't really discussed the issue that brought us in here in the first place," he pointed out.

Shunsui groaned, flopping back onto the futon with his arms spread wide. "Juu, what am I supposed to do? I can't just let her go out there defenseless, pretending to be a prostitute no less."

"You can and you will," Juushiro informed him firmly. "She's a lieutenant for a reason. Plus, she grew up in Rukongai; she knows how to protect herself."

"She was just a kid when she joined the thirteen court guard squads, though," Shunsui muttered.

Juushiro rolled his eyes. "And that's important why? Surviving in the higher districts is an impressive feat for anyone, much less a young girl."

"I don't like it," Shunsui complained, draping an arm across his face. If he closed his eyes, he could still feel the frantic flutter of her heart as he flash-stepped away from the man he respected like a father. He never wanted to see that pure terror in her eyes again.

"If you ever want to have a relationship with her, you have to respect her capabilities," Juushiro warned soberly. "She's stronger than you think."

Shunsui sighed. His partner was right, of course, like always. He didn't want Nanao to be just another conquest, or even an occasional lover. No, he wanted her to stand with him and Juushiro for a very long time to come. But she'd never be happy being caged, and she'd never be an equal partner the way Juushiro was, if he refused to see her that way. In terms of pure reiatsu, he was stronger, true. But if he was brutally honest with himself – something he generally avoided doing – she was smarter than him. As well as a much harder worker, but that was a given. Intellectually, he knew she was capable of handling herself in just about any situation. _Now I just need to convince my emotions of that_.

He sat up, yanking Juushiro into his lap. "How'd you become so perceptive, hmm?" he inquired, nibbling at the pale captain's neck.

Juushiro chuckled breathily, squirming into a more comfortable position. "I'm only telling you what you know is true," he noted with amusement. He inhaled sharply as Shunsui's teeth found a particularly sensitive spot and bit lightly. "What are you…mm…doing?" he gasped.

"Having fun," Shunsui purred, dragging his lips down to Juushiro's collarbone.

Juushiro arched into the touch, even as he said, "Here? Really?" He bit his lip to stifle a whimper as Shunsui's hand slid up his shirt teasingly.

"Why not?" the irrepressible captain murmured, pressing fleeting kisses onto Juushiro's chest.

A knock on the door answered that question. Juushiro scrambled out of Shunsui's lap as Nanao called, "Captain? Ukitake-san? We need to talk to you both."

"Later," Shunsui promised, giving his lover one more kiss. "Right now, I suppose it's time to face the music."


	19. Utilitarian Calculus

**Author's Note:**

I'd like to thank everybody who left reviews on the prior chapter, encouraging me to continue writing. I hope this chapter is better.

I'd also like to thank Snowkid, for keeping me informed of recent developments in the manga regarding Nanao's zanpakuto and relationship with Shunsui. For those of you who know what I'm talking about, that new information will not be a part of this story. It makes no sense in my mind, and parts of this story rely on the zanpakuto that I envisioned for Nanao before the manga revealed its powers. Some of the later scenes, for instance, were partially written months ago, and utilize my version of her zanpakuto to carry the plot forward. (I don't write my stories in order.) Also, in this story, she is not related in any way to Shunsui; that's just squicky.

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Utilitarian Calculus  
**

Yoruichi stood across from Nanao in Urahara's underground training area, hands on her hips, as the younger shinigami shifted nervously under the endless blue of the false sky. Lisa and Hiyori sprawled on rocks nearby, panting heavily. Yoruichi, by contrast, hadn't even broken a sweat, despite the hour of fighting she'd just completed against the two vizards. She'd paired the three of them against each other until they'd grown tired, then had them face her one-on-one. Nanao rubbed her ribs ruefully – she'd completely failed to block a nasty roundhouse kick from Lisa, and could already feel the bruise forming.

Shunsui had finally agreed with the plan they'd come up with, but he wasn't happy about it. _If not for Yoruichi's offer to evaluate us, we'd still be arguing_ , Nanao thought ruefully. _I suspect he's hoping that I, at least, won't meet her exacting standards, and thus can't go undercover_. That had been the agreement: if Yoruichi decided that the women were capable, the mission would proceed as planned. If not, they'd figure something else out. Nanao sighed. _Sometimes I wonder if he ever really sees me_ , she thought sadly. _He's assuming that, because I spend my days doing paperwork, I can't defend myself adequately. Has he forgotten the fights I've been in? I earned my rank, fair and square_.

She rolled her eyes, intercepting a sympathetic glance from Lisa. The former lieutenant knew how much of a pain in the ass Shunsui could be, better than anyone. Nanao smiled gratefully at her mentor. _At least you believe in me_ , she thought happily. Turning her attention back to Yoruichi, she studied her erstwhile opponent critically. _Now I just have to make sure that she does, as well_.

"I said I'd ensure you three could protect yourselves," the former captain reminded them all wickedly, when Hiyori muttered something about sadistic stealth force captains. "You're all doing well, but you two," she directed a glance at the exhausted vizards, "both had to resort to your zanpakuto to avoid disabling blows from me. If you're undercover, that won't be an option." Lisa nodded wearily, while Hiyori flapped an irritated hand in Yoruichi's general direction. Yoruichi smirked. "Let's see if you can do any better," she challenged Nanao. "But for you, the rules are different. You don't use your zanpakuto much, from what I've been told. You prefer kido." Nanao nodded warily. "So, no kido." The young shinigami blanched. "You won't have access to it once you go undercover, either, so get used to going without it." Before Nanao could protest – not that she felt inclined to – the former stealth force captain added, "It's only fair; they operated under a similar handicap."

With no more warning than that, Yoruichi launched herself at the younger soul reaper. Nanao flinched backwards, turning the instinctive motion into a controlled tumble out of the way. The feline shinigami had promised to move at human speeds, but Nanao had her doubts about that. _Surely no human can move that quickly; she's practically using shunpo speeds. Though I suppose she isn't actually using flashstep_. Nanao knew she was outmatched, but that didn't mean she couldn't put up a good fight.

Yoruichi landed on the ball of her lead foot and pivoted, cat-quick, but Nanao was already attacking. She launched several rapid-fire punches, alternating hands and forcing Yoruichi to focus on blocking. For a second, it looked like her surprise offensive caught the older shinigami off guard. Then Yoruichi swept a foot up in a high kick, catching Nanao in the shoulder and sending her tumbling.

"That could have been your head, you know," Yoruichi pointed out dryly as Nanao rolled to her feet, wincing. Nanao glared at her, knowing the truth of that statement. _Okay, time to try something else_ , she ordered herself. Yoruichi hadn't specifically told her to remain in her gigai, and leaving the body would be unexpected, if nothing else. In a real conflict, she'd disable whatever device was preventing her from accessing her kido, so presumably resuming her soul form would suffice as a substitute during training.

Yoruichi darted forwards again, hands up in a guard position like a human boxer. Winding up, she launched an obvious roundhouse punch, mimicking the moves that untrained fighters preferred – she'd explained earlier that they were likely to face amateurs if they got in trouble, and so she would copy that style for most of the training. That slowed her down just long enough for Nanao to slip to the side and rip herself free of the artificial body.

The uninhabited doll fell limply to the dirt as Nanao flung herself out of the way, just in time to see Yoruichi's startled expression. "Very good," the former captain drawled. She looked over at Lisa and Hiyori, instantly capturing their attention. "You two don't need to do that, since your gigais are rather special, but your first reaction, if you get into trouble that you can't handle, should be to get on an equal footing with your opponent." Turning back to Nanao, she grinned fiercely. "However, let's assume for the moment that you can't use kido even after leaving your gigai and disabling Urahara's device. Maybe it'll draw too much attention from passerby, or attract hungry hollows." Nanao sighed, but concealed her disappointment. _The rule does make sense, unfortunately. And she didn't mention some of the other possible side effects_.

"Or cause damage to the surrounding buildings," the slender kido master replied calmly. "Not to mention the possibility of civilian casualties." In her soul form, she was invisible to ordinary humans, but her kido often produced physical effects that weren't. Plus, if a spell hit a human, it would probably kill them instantly. "I understand."

"Good. So, no kido. Where's your zanpakuto?"

Nanao placed her right hand on her left sleeve, feeling the comforting presence of her Kajishizu's tanto form strapped to her wrist. "Right here," she said quietly.

"Do you think you need to use it?" Yoruichi inquired, a mischievous glint in her golden eyes.

Nanao paused, considering the question. It felt like a trick, though she couldn't figure out why. If the woman facing her had been a human attacker, she wouldn't have drawn her blade. _As my former teacher told me again and again, if you get into a knife fight, you're going to get cut. It doesn't matter if you're the first one to draw a weapon – it's still inevitable_. Against a human opponent, that might not be true, but that didn't change her conclusion. _I don't want to seriously injure, or kill, a human, if there's another way out_ , she thought soberly. _And drawing Kajishizu would only escalate a situation and make such damage more likely_.

But given that she was squared off against a highly-proficient assassin pretending to be human, her calculations were different. "Without my kido, I would not stand a chance of scratching you if you fought using your natural speed and strength, even using my zanpakuto," she explained slowly. "So I would find another way to fight. I would draw her, but only for defense." Yoruichi nodded expressionlessly. Nanao continued, "However, if you were a human attacking me for some reason, I would not use her at all."

"Why not?" Yoruichi asked neutrally.

Nanao grimaced. "My Kajishizu is not a… merciful sword, in shikai, and as a dagger is just as dangerous as any other blade." Distantly, she felt her zanpakuto's whispery laughter. "I would prefer to avoid permanent damage to mortals, even those who attack me." Never mind the potential side effects when using her shikai form. Nanao didn't practice with her zanpakuto frequently enough to master every aspect of her power, and the more destructive capabilities were far easier to control. In theory, she could easily take out a human without damaging them at all. In practice, she was like a surgeon wielding a hammer instead of a scalpel.

Yoruichi's brows rose. "An interesting choice."

Nanao shrugged. "Why would I want to kill them or irreparably damage them? It causes too many issues with the human police. So long as they can't harm me any longer, the problem is solved."

"So how would you accomplish that without your zanpakuto?" Yoruichi challenged.

"My skills at hakuda may not compare to yours, but they are more than a match for an ordinary human thug," she replied confidently.

Yoruichi snorted. "And if they're not?"

"Then I release my zanpakuto." _And dealt with the inevitable fallout_. The humans weren't the only thing she had to worry about. For one thing, she was fairly sure Kajishizu's capabilities would horrify most soul reapers. Not even her captain knew what she could do.

Yoruichi nodded approvingly. "Alright then. For the purposes of this exercise, use your blade in its sealed form. If you're proficient in knife fighting, you should carry a knife with you when you go undercover. It won't attract attention the way a longer blade would, and you're already used to concealing it." She eyed Nanao appraisingly. "However, I'm not sending you out there with a knife if you can't use it expertly. A weapon you can't use is a weapon you give to your enemy."

Lisa laughed, calling across the training field, "I think you'll be surprised, Yoruichi!"

Yoruichi cocked her head. "Well, then, surprise me!" And she lunged at Nanao again.

For several minutes, Nanao remained on the defensive, retreating as Yoruichi pressed her backwards. The feline shinigami bounced lightly on her toes, throwing slow hook punches mixed with the occasional kick. As Nanao dodged each blow, Yoruichi sped up, until the younger soul reaper gasped for breath. Her ribs ached where a side kick had slipped through her guard, hitting the bruise Lisa had given her. More bruises spotted her forearms, and she had a nasty gash on her calf where she'd stumbled into a rock. With the way Yoruichi matched her speed exactly, she could tell shunpo wouldn't help here. _If I use it, she'll simply follow, and I know she's faster than me_. They didn't call her the Goddess of Flash for nothing. The former captain was determined to assess her knife-fighting skills, and wouldn't let up until she drew her zanpakuto.

 _Sorry Kajishizu_ , she apologized mentally. _I don't have a choice_. Kajishizu giggled, sending back a wordless wave of acceptance and happiness. Apparently her zanpakuto didn't mind being treated like an ordinary dagger.

As the weight of the tanto settled into her hand, she bared her teeth in a fierce grin. Kido master or not, she knew her knife-fighting. Yoruichi charged once more, and she sidestepped, slashing at the former captain's upper thigh as she hurtled past. Yoruichi jerked aside, shock and admiration in her eyes. Before she could recover, Nanao pressed the attack, sketching glittering patterns in the air as she cut at the retreating shinigami.

It felt like hours that they danced back and forth on the sandy floor, though it couldn't have been more than ten minutes. At last, Yoruichi held up a hand, ignoring the blood trickling from a shallow gash in her forearm. "Very good," she purred. Several other light cuts marred her tan skin, sending thin trails of blood down her body.

"Thank you," Nanao panted, clutching Kajishizu tightly. A furrow above her brow dripped blood into her eyes, mingling with the sweat that streaked her forehead. She could feel other cuts on her arms and legs, bearing out the truth of her former teacher's adage. _She didn't have a weapon, and she still managed to cut me, using my own blade_ , Nanao thought ruefully. Every muscle in her body complained at her as she gingerly shifted her weight.

"Where'd you learn to fight like that?" Yoruichi asked curiously.

"Initially in the Rukongai," she explained, wincing as a deep breath made her ribs twinge.

Lisa shunpoed over to her side, grinning widely, and took up the thread. "She was a natural, but the Academy didn't teach the right style of fighting for her. She needed someone who knew how to fight in close and dirty. So I asked our fifth seat – a former member of squad two – to train her."

Nanao nodded wearily. "He told me that knife-fighting was the dirtiest kind of weapon combat there was, and if I was going to learn it I was damn well going to master it." Those had been his exact words, as a matter of fact.

Yoruichi patted her on the back. "You certainly did that. I'll get you a blade that matches your zanpakuto's length and weight, so you won't be completely unarmed out there." She smoothed her violet hair out of her eyes, grinning at the younger soul reaper.

Lisa snorted. "Shunsui-kun should approve of that," she remarked dryly. "Come on, Nanao, let's get you into the hot springs. If your body aches the way mine does, you probably feel like an elephant just walked all over you."

Yoruichi laughed. "You'll feel better after a good soak, I promise! I'll go tell the guys to leave you alone until you've recovered, but you're all definitely ready to go undercover."

 _Good_ , Nanao thought dryly. _Now all I have to do is convince Shunsui that I really will be alright out there_.


	20. Hidden in Plain Sight

**Author's Note:**

Homeless is a little-discussed problem in Japan. There are over 5,000 homeless in Tokyo alone, most of them men over 40. They primarily live in tent cities, similar to the Hoovervilles found in America during the Great Depression, that are located near rivers or in public parks. Interestingly, the police cannot evict them from their temporary dwellings without utilizing the same eviction proceedings needed for people living in rental apartments.

Many of the homeless collect recyclables or refurbish electronics to make ends meet. The government does have programs to ensure that everyone has a basic standard of living, but the recent increase in homelessness means that those programs are severely underfunded and understaffed. Because employers are reluctant to hire elderly or unmarried men, homeless men find it difficult to escape the streets.

For those of you who don't like OCs, which I know is a lot of readers, don't worry: the character who shows up in the beginning of this chapter is only there to illustrate what life it like in the shantytowns. He will not play a role in the story.

I hope you like this chapter! As always, suggestions for improvement are welcome, as are positive reviews.

* * *

 **Chapter 20: Hidden in Plain Sight  
**

Shinjuko Garden was a smaller park in one of the less-prosperous neighborhoods of Karakura. The rolling meadow, dotted with small copses of trees, played home to a small pond and lovely botanical garden in the southern corner. During the day, families and courting couples roamed the grounds, enjoying the false wilderness and the illusion of privacy. At night, however, the park belonged to the homeless community living along the western edge. The shantytown resembled a strange forest of blue tarps, arranged in orderly rows. Scavenged furniture, everything from battered tables to worn-out couches, sheltered under the tents, and many of the makeshift shelters were reinforced with plywood to form serviceable long-term housing.

Several years ago, the city had erected a permanent shelter in an attempt to move the homeless out of their little town, but most had refused to move. Their tents had become home after years of use, and they mistrusted the government's motives. Furthermore, the city had declared that anyone who moved into the shelter had to find productive work within three years, or they'd be kicked out and forbidden to return to the park. For many of the residents, already nearing the age of retirement, job prospects were almost nonexistent. So they stayed in the tent city.

Osamu Tanaka was one such man. He had lived at Shinjuko Garden for four years, ever since he lost his job in a manufacturing plant. Fifty-five years old and already arthritic, he knew no one would hire him, but that didn't disappoint him overmuch. He glanced around his camp, smiling happily. Sure, the furniture was old and scarred, but so was he. It was still perfectly serviceable. He even had a small gas stove to provide heat for the winter, along with a black-and-white TV run off an abandoned car battery. He'd neglected to set up a mailbox, though most of the camp residents had one – he had no one to send him mail.

His neighbors were generally orderly and kind, willing to lend a helping hand to someone down on his luck. Theft and assault were rare, as no one had enough to be worth stealing. Plus, there was an unspoken assumption that they were all in this together. Any problems were swiftly dealt with by the headman of the community – Minoru Fujii. Tanaka considered Fujii an excellent leader, if a bit lazy at times. But the former carpenter had a talent for defusing conflicts, and had lived at the park longer than anyone else. Certainly Tanaka had no desire to take on the thankless job.

No, his current 'occupation' suited him just fine. Collecting aluminum cans and newspapers for recycling earned him enough yen for meals and a shower several times a week, and he made extra cash by scavenging thrown-away electronics. A bit of care and cleaning, and an abandoned phone or tablet could net a hefty price. He couldn't restore them to full working order the way several of the other shantytown residents could, but he knew enough to restore corroded wires and cracked screens.

Yes, his life here really wasn't too bad.

Tanaka rose creakily to his feet, one fist at his lower back. His arthritis, worsened by nights spent in a chilly tent, was the one cloud in a clear blue sky. He anticipated a time – possibly only a few years away – where just getting out of bed would be a challenge. Ordinarily, an elder would have children to care for him when such things occurred, but he wasn't that lucky. Tanaka sighed, heart heavy. _Ah, Chiasa. Why did that idiot have to kill you so young? Barely married a year, and both you and your husband gone._

His daughter had been the light of his life, even after she married and left his home. She had died barely a year later, struck by a drunk driver on her way back from an outing with her husband. He had died instantly; she'd survived long enough to bid him goodbye in the hospital before slipping away as well. His life had never been the same afterwards.

His melancholy thoughts were interrupted by soft footsteps shushing through the grass, heading towards his tent. He looked up to see a young girl, barely out of her teens, looking nervously around. She fiddled with a cheap silver bracelet, embedded with turquoise stones, that wrapped around her left wrist. Her worn jeans and oversized hoodie were clean, but had seen better days.

"Miss? Are you lost?" he asked gently.

She shook her head. "No, um… I, well…" She stuttered to a halt, delicate pink creeping up her cheeks. Looking down, she bit her lip and clenched her fingers around her bracelet.

Studying her canvas backpack, which looked too large and heavy for any tourist, he took a guess and inquired, "Do you need a place to stay?"

She blushed more heavily, but nodded. "I, um… yeah." She shifted her weight, eyes darting around the camp. "Just for a little bit, I'm sure I can find a job soon."

Tanaka sighed, knowing the likelihood of that from personal experience. "Where are your parents? Surely they can help you," he suggested.

She froze. "I can't tell them," she said haltingly. "They didn't want me to move to the city, and this would just prove them right."

He shook his head reprovingly. Her stubborn independence reminded him of his sweet Chiasa, who never wanted to admit when she was wrong. "Well, I'm sure we can find a place for you here. Let me show you to Fujii-san; he's the leader of the Shinjuko Garden camp. Do you have a sleeping bag or blankets?"

The girl nodded, pushing her glasses up her nose. "Thank you, um…" she trailed off, and Tanaka realized he hadn't introduced himself.

"Osamu Tanaka, at your service," he said with a slight bow.

"Thank you, Tanaka-san," the girl stuttered. "I'm Nanao Ise." She fiddled with her silver bracelet, glancing shyly away.

"It's very nice to meet you, Ise-san," Tanaka said politely. "Now let's get you settled in."

* * *

Nanao followed the older gentleman through the neat rows of tents, senses alert for anything out of the ordinary. She had tried to mask her very real nervousness at hunting down the creator of the doom beasts with an awkward shyness, and it seemed she had succeeded. Tanaka hadn't thrown her out, anyway, which was a good start. Now she simply had to convince this Fujii-san to allow her to stay.

Her fingers clenched nervously around her bracelet, feeling the reassuring tingle of the spells thrumming through it. The device mimicked a traditional reiatsu limiter, but with several important distinctions. For one thing, removing it didn't require the touch of a specific person's reiatsu. All she had to do was undo the clasp, and the spells would release. That had been a feature that Shunsui had insisted on; it made the excursion significantly safer. But it wasn't her favorite modification. Traditional limiter cuffs deadened a person to the outside world, preventing them from detecting spirit energy unless it was very powerful and nearby. Urahara's device wasn't perfect, but it allowed her to retain a substantial amount of her sensitivity.

Perhaps the biggest difference, however, was the complex masking kido built into the turquoise stones. Someone wearing a traditional reiatsu limiter – turned all the way up to completely mask their energy – often resembled a void in the energy flows of the area. They were far harder to detect, but a perceptive shinigami could find the person wearing the limiter by looking for the 'hole' in the currents of energy. Urahara's limiter, on the other hand, concealed that void with a simulacrum of ordinary human reiatsu. Even a kido master like Nanao wouldn't notice anything amiss.

Admittedly, if not for her captain, she would have never realized that a person could be tracked by lack of reiatsu, if she was patient enough. She blushed, recalling the circumstances that led to that discovery. Shunsui and Juushiro had been, well, playing… and had somehow acquired a limiting collar. She rolled her eyes in remembrance. _Though why they had it, I have no idea_. When her captain's reiatsu had vanished completely from her senses, and hadn't reappeared for hours, she had grown nervous. It wasn't unusual for him to conceal his reiatsu if he wanted to avoid work, but she could always pick up a trace of it if she looked hard enough. In the course of her meticulous search, she'd brushed up against a peculiar void in the middle of the thirteenth division offices. Juushiro's reiatsu, flavored with amusement and anxiety, had been nearby. When she shunpoed over, intending to demand answers from Juushiro, Shunsui had explained sheepishly that the collar was stuck, and that he really hadn't meant to worry her. Juushiro had looked serene as always, but the corners of his mouth had kept twitching.

Nanao bit her lip, remembering just how long it had taken them to fix that stupid collar. She truly hoped Urahara's device didn't malfunction in the same way. He had promised them all that there was no way anything could go wrong, but he said that about every invention. _With the same little smirk on his face, too_ , she thought wryly.

Right now, thankfully, it appeared to be working perfectly. She could sense the faint buzz of Tanaka's energy beside her, as well as the even quieter hums of the others in the camp. None had any spiritual pressure worth noting, but she could sense enough to tell that the camp seemed relatively deserted. She could only detect a few spiritual pressures other than those of the visible people, and there weren't many of those. A pair of grey-haired gentlemen played shogi, watched by a hard-faced woman clad in a plethora of shawls; another man napped in a folding chair outside a tent. Other than that, there was no one in sight.

"Where is everyone?" Nanao asked softly.

Tanaka chuckled. "Working, mostly. Picking up trash, scavenging for scrap metal, things like that. They'll be back around dusk."

"Oh," Nanao murmured. _Was drug dealing another job some of them did?_ That was not a question she felt comfortable asking, but it would be good to know the answer.

Tanaka glanced at her kindly. "I'm sure you'll be able to find a better job than that," he reassured her. She gave him a weak smile, preoccupied with her own thoughts. He eyed her worriedly. "Truly, you will. Most of the homeless here are too old to find a good job, but there are programs to help young women like you." He led her around a corner as he completed the last sentence, flicking nervous glances at her.

A woman lounging on a folding chair looked up with a snort when she heard him. "Sure, Tanaka, keep thinking that. Especially after the Fukushima disaster, those little programs let way too many people slip through the cracks." She tossed auburn hair over her shoulder, looking Nanao up and down critically. "You new here?"

Nanao nodded warily. The woman looked to be in her mid-thirties, with hardened eyes and a weary quirk to her lips. She wore a low-cut blouse and fraying jeans, along with cheap, gaudy jewelry. Practically nonexistent reiatsu, Nanao noted.

The woman laughed. "So, Tanaka, found another stray? You know they won't let her stay here long."

Tanaka flinched. "Michi, be nice." He turned to Nanao, unsuccessfully concealing anxiety. "Come on, let's go see Fujii-san." As they left, the woman snickered.

"What does she mean, they won't let me stay long?" Nanao inquired once they were out of earshot.

Her guide sighed. "The park caretakers don't bother us, but they don't want the settlement to expand. Fujii-san is supposed to turn away anyone who comes here, but I'm sure he'll make an exception." Nanao winced. _That would put a definite kink in our plans, if I can't stay for even a few days_.

Unfortunately, Fujii, a heavyset older gentleman with greying hair, was apologetic but firm when he informed her that she couldn't stay in the shantytown. There simply wasn't room, he explained sadly. Nanao bit her lip, seeing all of her work to convince Shunsui going down the drain. "Please, could I just stay for a week or two?" she asked hesitantly.

Fujii sighed, brown eyes conflicted. Nanao did her best to look sweet and hopeful, wishing she had her captain's talent for easy charm. She just wasn't a people person. But her wide violet eyes must have done the trick, for Fujii sighed. "Alright, you can stay a couple weeks," he allowed.

"Oh, thank you, sir!" Nanao gushed, staying in character as a desperate young woman given unexpected hope. "You won't regret this." _Well, so long as my presence doesn't attract the dealer, that is. At least I can keep any fights away from the camp itself_.

Tanaka led her to an open area near the edge of the camp, next to a spindly oak tree. "You can set up your tent here," he suggested, shuffling his feet awkwardly. "Um, do you need help?"

Nanao tilted her head, wishing he had more reiatsu so she could read him better. Why was he making the offer? It didn't appear malicious, but he'd already helped her a great deal. Did he have some ulterior motive?

Tanaka answered that question, though, when he added, "It's just that you remind me of my daughter, Chiasa, see. And I don't want a young girl like you getting hurt." His expression spoke of honest sincerity and nothing more.

 _Well, that makes sense, I suppose_ , Nanao thought. She hardly needed help setting up a simple lean-to – patrolling shinigami used them all the time, and she'd taken her share of long-distance missions. But she didn't want to offend her new ally. So she ducked her head shyly, murmuring acceptance of his offer.

Hooking a tarp to a low-hanging branch and staking out its edges only took a few minutes. Nanao spread a second tarp over the dirt, brushing away stray sticks and rocks. Not as comfortable as one of the compact tents used on long-term patrols, but perfectly serviceable. She'd spent nights in far worse. _Admittedly, I've always had kido to help, but it shouldn't get too cold, and it can't be worse than the Academy wilderness exercises_. The winter ones in particular could be brutal.

She thanked Tanaka prettily, pleading weariness when he asked if she wanted company. Yoruichi's yellow eyes shone from under a bush, and she wanted to check in with the transformed shinigami. Once he'd left her alone – promising that she could come to him for help at any time – the former stealth force commander trotted over to her.

"So you're in, and you've found a friend," she commented in her gravelly voice, slinking under the tarp.

Nanao sank into seiza, folding her hands in her lap. "It seems like a well-organized camp. Surprisingly permanent for a shantytown. I can only stay for a week or so, but hopefully that's long enough to gather data." Again, she wished for her captain's talent with puppy dog eyes. No one could resist him when he turned up the charm, and that would have come in handy when looking for information.

Yoruichi shrugged, the motion incongruous with her feline body. "It's been around for a while, anyway. Couple decades maybe?" She twitched her tail, fixing Nanao with her golden gaze. "No matter. It may seem peaceful right now, but be careful. I smelled booze and pot in a few tents, and there are probably other drugs around."

Nanao nodded soberly. "I guessed. These people are unlikely to be the dealers, however." _At least if the drug trade here resembles the one in the higher-numbered Rukon districts_. The yakuza families in the Rukongai controlled most of the smuggling and distribution, and dealers – while not high-ranking members – were not mistreated. The homeless were the lowest echelon of society, and unlikely to be entrusted with such a task. And, well, drugs were expensive. Even after paying the family for the supply, dealers could make a decent salary. _No dealer would be found living in a camp like this, unless they had made some spectacularly poor decisions_.

"True," Yoruichi agreed. "And if the dealer for this damn drug is the same person who created it, we're certainly not going to find him here. That sort of thing needs a lab to rival Kisuke's. But that doesn't mean he won't be around."

"I'm planning on treating this as an excursion into enemy territory," Nanao promised. She paused, looking down. "I hope he does show up, honestly. We need to catch him before more people die."

"I know. I'm going to go scout around, though you may not see me," Yoruichi informed her.

Nanao pushed her glasses up her nose, pressing her lips together. She planned to do the same. Hopefully, someone would know something. "Let's catch this bastard."


	21. Lovely Ladies

**Author's Note:**

I know that I promised to update soon, but this week has been incredibly stressful, so this is a bit later that I wanted. My senior thesis paper was due yesterday, and I only finished collecting data a few days before that, so I spent the past few days doing nothing but writing that. The stress led to a full-blown panic attack the night before it was due, which did not help things in the slightest. Thankfully, I already had a lot of this written out, or you wouldn't see another chapter for a while.

It's a longer chapter though, so hopefully that makes up for the lateness!

Kabukicho District is a real district in Tokyko, famous for the way it caters to the raunchier aspect of the tourist industry. The facts that Lisa mentions later in this chapter are all true, at least according to Wikipedia.

* * *

 **Chapter 21: Lovely Ladies  
**

Ordinarily, Shunsui liked nothing better than a jug of sake and a long nap in the sun. He rarely got the latter, these days, without being interrupted by Nanao's demands that he complete his paperwork, but he still took every opportunity that came up. But his Nanao wasn't around to chivvy him into the office, and uninterrupted napping got boring after a while.

It didn't help that thoughts of his lovely lieutenant, all alone in the slums, kept invading his dreams and disturbing his rest. He knew that she had come from a nasty part of the Rukongai, and could take care of herself, but his subconscious stubbornly refused to acknowledge that fact. Katen Kyokotsu found this very amusing.

He'd complained to Juushiro about it, but his best friend, though sympathetic, couldn't help. And even Juushiro lost patience as Shunsui's worries started to repeat. _I think I probably sound like a three-year-old_ , Shunsui realized in one of his more sober moments. He wasn't particularly pleased with the realization. _You'd think that I would have learned to act a bit more mature, after all of these centuries_. Judging by Juushiro's patient, resigned expression, he felt the same way. The pale captain was worried, yes, but he refused to let the worries invade his every thought, whereas Shunsui couldn't stop picturing every possible horror that Nanao could encounter. He had a very vivid imagination.

Inflicting those images on his lover, however, would just be cruel. So, late last night, he'd left the hotel to find the best source of forgetfulness he knew.

But drowning his fears in sake didn't help either. At his urging, the vizards had gone on a bar crawl that lasted until the early hours of the morning, ordering shot after shot of peculiarly-colored liquor. It burned like fire going down his throat, and kicked like a dozen mules, but Shunsui loved it. Shinji had challenged him to a drinking contest, which only ended when the entire party got kicked out of the dingy bar. By that point, despite his prodigious tolerance for alcohol, he'd barely been able to stand. _I won, though_ , he told himself with a vague sense of pride. Shinji had taken the last shot and slumped over the table, eyes glassy as he gently passed out. Kensei had been swaying on his feet at that point, and the mere sight of the last glass had caused him to projectile vomit into a little fake tree that the bar had, for some reason, placed in a corner. That was what had gotten them kicked out.

Or maybe it had been the argument between Love and Rose, whose volume had been slowly increasing as the night wore on. Though the two vizards had stopped participating in the contest some time earlier, their slurred words and vigorous gestures were evidence of their continued intoxication.

Then again, it also could have been Lisa's drunken, topless attempt at dancing on top of one of the sticky tables. Mashiro, white jumpsuit practically glowing in the dim light, had joined her with glee. Shunsui had appreciated the spectacle – _from a purely aesthetic standpoint_ , he reassured himself – but maybe the other patrons didn't have his refined sense of artistic sensibilities.

 _Or_ , Shunsui admitted ruefully, _maybe we were all acting like idiot Academy students out for a night on the town. We were all pretty damn drunk_.

It took a lot to get a powerful shinigami drunk, and the vizards were no exception. The immense quantities of reiatsu that flowed through their bodies burned up alcohol like it was water. Shunsui had a sneaking suspicion that the hollows inside of the vizards were even more effective, actively purging their hosts of most poisons, but he didn't have proof of that theory. _Still, no one Hiyori's size should be able to match me, Shinji, and Kensei shot for shot_ , he argued internally. The fierce vizard – with the help of an ID from Urahara – had matched them up until the very end. Any bartenders who looked askance at her age had been given an evil glare until they complied.

Shunsui was proud that he had managed to keep up with the trio of vizards, though it had led to a fierce pounding in his temples, a nauseating roiling in his gut, and no relief from his worries.

Shinji understood the latter. Though he pretended not to care, the blond vizard was worried about Hiyori as well. _She gets to come home every night, though_ , Shunsui thought rebelliously. The schoolgirls who she was mimicking didn't stay out long past dark; if they hadn't found something at that point, they generally returned home. Both Lisa and Nanao, on the other hand, were disguised as long-term residents of the streets. They had spent the previous night in the parks to establish their cover and listen to rumor. He was supposed to pick Lisa up tonight, but Nanao would be camping out for another night.

After a long discussion, they'd decided that she wouldn't be able to convincingly portray a prostitute – she blushed every time someone mentioned something suggestive. He found the trait endearing, but the men who frequented prostitutes preferred sham innocence, not the real thing. They would likely take her reticence as a sign that she was helpless and clueless, and act accordingly. While she could easily disabuse them of the notion, that wasn't within character. So, instead, she'd be staying in the camp at night, rejoining them during the day while out 'looking for work.'

Unfortunately for his peace of mind, she had insisted on remaining in the park for the first few days, arguing that it would give her a better chance to discover any rumors about a new street drug. Urahara and the vizards had agreed, so he'd given in with bad grace. But it didn't make him happy.

He had hung around Urahara's lab for hours this morning, until the shopkeeper chased him out to place reiatsu detectors all around town. He promised that the additions to his already-formidable array of sensors would allow him to detect any threats to their undercover operatives before any harm could come to them, but Shunsui was skeptical. It had felt like make work to him, made more unpleasant by his throbbing headache.

There was one bright spot in the whole mess, though: he finally got to drive on his own. Lisa had reluctantly given him her keys after spending hours mercilessly drilling him on every aspect of piloting the vehicle. She'd threatened him with an excruciating death if he crashed her car, but he cheerfully ignored her dire warnings. His Lisa-chan would never hurt him! _Though there was that one time…and that other time…hmm_. So maybe his Lisa-chan didn't have much of a problem punching him, kicking him, or, in worse-case scenarios, throwing him in icy rivers. _Alright, I'll be careful_ , he promised himself with a grin.

"Hey! Kyoraku! Are you gonna go get Lisa now, or what?"

Shunsui groaned, cradling his aching head and glaring up at Hiyori reproachfully. The fierce vizard had returned to the warehouse a half hour ago, and had spent the past twenty minutes berating Shinji at the top of her lungs. Shunsui wasn't sure why. Love had taken pity on him and allowed the hungover captain to hide in his room, but it looked like Hiyori had found him. "Of course I am," he grumbled, wincing as spikes of pain shot through his head.

"So go do it!" Hiyori snarled loudly.

"Geez, Hiyori, what's got your panties in such a twist?" Love asked mildly. The short vizard huffed, kicked him in the shin, and stomped out of the room. Her reiatsu stormed around her, crackling like lightning and lashing out at everyone in sight. Shunsui rubbed his temples gingerly and hauled himself to his feet. Some days, he felt every one of his thousand years of age. Love watched him with concealed amusement. "Come this way, so you don't run into miss firebrand again," he suggested, showing Shunsui to the back door.

He smiled at the tan vizard gratefully as he slipped out the door. A quick scan reassured him that Hiyori was nowhere nearby; the narrow hall was deserted. He walked cautiously towards the rickety door at the far end, senses alert for anyone who might be outside, as well as a possible ambush from Hiyori. The wards should conceal the warehouse, but it was never a good idea to emerge from a supposedly-deserted place in front of a random passerby.

But no one frequented the warehouse district after nightfall except gang members and the occasional desperate homeless person, and they were warned off by the subtle kido spells embedded in the wards. If they came near, they would feel an odd aversion, which would strengthen until they decided that there were better pickings elsewhere.

He slid the door open a crack and peered out. _Yep, it's deserted_ , he nodded to himself. _Alright, let's go pick up a prostitute_. He chuckled happily as he trotted over to Lisa's car, concealed under similar wards. _This should be entertaining_.

Kabukicho, one of the most famous red-light districts in Tokyo, was easy to find. Lisa had informed him, snickering, that its 0.34 square kilometers of area contained over 3,500 massage parlors, bathhouses, peep shows, porn shops, and other places devoted to sex. Any possible perversion could be found within its boundaries.

Ironically, Club Nightfire was located nowhere near it.

An hour after sunset, and the streets teemed with people. Garish neon signs advertised love hotels, movie rental shops, and more risqué businesses. Scantily-clad women, along with a number of slender men, cheerfully beckoned passerby closer. The hordes thronging the sidewalks spilled out into the street, heedless of the cars slowly cruising down the road. Shunsui pulled Lisa's sensible car into the first parking lot he found, not trusting his driving abilities around so many pedestrians. _If I run over someone, Lisa will never let me forget it – or ever drive her car again_. The attendant requested an exorbitant amount of money for an hour's parking, which Shunsui paid with a smile. It wasn't his money, after all. Urahara's shop was funding the entire operation; Shunsui didn't know where the shopkeeper had gotten the cash. A folded bill pressed into the man's hand ensured that the car would be treated well.

Shunsui strolled down the sidewalk, admiring a trio of girls in corset-tops and miniskirts giggling outside of a host club. Dressed for a night out, they laughed and teased each other as they waited in line. Farther on, a petite woman in a kimono cut to mid-thigh urged people into the strip club behind her. Heavy, sensual beats pulsed through the air, underlying the chatter of the crowds. The breeze smelled of perfume and cologne, with just a hint of sex. A flashing display drew Shunsui's attention to a massive screen showing pictures of half-naked girls posed on stripper poles. He admired the sheer athleticism of some of their stunts almost as much as their bouncing breasts.

"Hey, handsome," a voice drawled behind him. "Looking for some fun?"

He turned to see Lisa, all dolled up in her best trashy finery, smiling seductively at him. Her sparkling top revealed her midriff, while those tiny jean shorts left nothing to the imagination. She had added a handful of bangles to the silver bracelet around her wrist; more glass jewelry sparkled around her throat. She tilted her head to one side, inhaling so that the buttons on her blouse strained. "Well, aren't you a pretty thing," Shunsui purred, stepping closer.

She placed a hand on his chest, stopping him and caressing him all at once. "Now, now, not so fast there," she laughed.

"Oh, I think you'll find I can take things very, very slow when I want to," he promised lowly.

She flashed him a gamine grin. "Is that so?"

He smirked at her. "Is that a challenge?" Even knowing that it was all a game, his pulse raced faster as her fingers trailed over his collarbone. He kept most of his senses spread out in search of any watchers, but couldn't resist allowing a few tendrils of reiatsu to dance over Lisa's skin. She smiled flirtatiously at him, one eyebrow lifted in silent acknowledgement.

"The real challenge is, can you keep up?" Lisa stepped backwards, letting her hand fall away teasingly. "Do you think you have what it takes?"

This was the tricky part. She was asking, obliquely, if he could afford her. Prostitution was only illegal if certain acts were performed, but the ladies of the night were still cautious with how they interacted with potential customers. Shunsui had no doubt that she'd watched other women pick up clients, mimicking their subtle approach. But he hadn't had that opportunity. _Time to wing it_ , he thought whimsically.

The flamboyant captain laid his hand over his heart. "My lady, you wound me," he protested dramatically. "Surely such a beautiful lady would not say such cruel things. I'm sure you'll find me more than capable." A passing couple snickered at his declaration, whispering to each other behind the woman's fan.

Lisa smirked. "Oh really? Care to prove that?"

He bowed gracefully to her. "Follow me, milady, and I promise you a night you'll never forget." She giggled, holding out an arm to him. He took it, guiding her through the crowds to the car. Nodding his thanks to the attendant, who eyed Lisa lecherously, he gallantly opened Lisa's door for her.

She paused before sliding into the car, glancing around mischievously. "Come closer," she ordered in an undertone.

He obeyed, leaning in towards her with one hand pressed against the roof of the car. To his surprise, she grabbed his jacket with both hands, tugging him in for a passionate kiss. Shunsui groaned as her tongue tangled with his, sparking fire in his veins. She ground her hips against him, making him gasp. Dimly, he heard someone wolf-whistle, but all of his attention was focused on the luscious vizard in his arms.

Just as he was growing dizzy from lack of oxygen, she broke the kiss, slipping into her seat with a smug grin. He walked awkwardly to the driver's side, trying to catch his breath. That had been a hell of a kiss! "No fair, Lisa-chan," he complained as he drove carefully away. "Teasing isn't nice."

She threw the bulge in his pants an amused look. "Don't pretend you didn't enjoy it." Her expression grew sly. "Bet you're wishing Nanao-chan would greet you in the same way, hmm?" He inhaled sharply, imagination caught. His Nanao-chan, arching against him like that, firm breasts pressed into his chest… Would she taste like the black tea she was always drinking? He cursed as his moment of inattention sent the car drifting perilously close to the other lane.

"See, that's really not fair," he muttered, wrestling his libido under control.

Lisa laughed, resting her hand on his thigh. "Now, Shunsui-kun, when have I ever played fair?"

He pouted at her. "My Lisa-chan is so cruel."

She snickered. "And you love me for it." Shunsui laughed, and her expression turned sober. "However, I didn't do that just to tease you. I think someone was watching."

Shunsui nodded. "I got the same feeling, but you were more than a little distracting," he agreed lightly.

The slender vizard played with the hem of her shorts, eyes pensive. "It may have been because I was an unfamiliar face in Kabukicho; I hope that's all it was. But I definitely heard rumors of a brand-new drug on the streets. Nothing substantial – no one even knew its name. I started asking discreet questions when it seemed like the topic wasn't taboo, but maybe I was too obvious. If someone heard me and got suspicious, well…" she trailed off, staring into the darkened city. "Hopefully the kiss allayed their suspicions."

Shunsui frowned, casting his mind back to the encounter. He hadn't noticed anything that triggered his instincts, but he had sensed something off. "Did you get anything concrete?" he asked, maneuvering the car around a sedan that had stopped on the side of the road.

She shook her head. "Unfortunately not. I was searching for reiatsu traces during the kiss, but the bracelet blocks enough of my sensitivity that I couldn't pick anything up." When he gave her a worried look, she added, "I'll be careful, though. It may have been just my imagination."

"Hopefully it was simply someone jealous of your stunning beauty," Shunsui said playfully. _Though if it wasn't, we may have a larger problem on our hands than we thought_.

* * *

On a rooftop high above the glittering scandal of Kabukicho, three men huddled together, watching the dark blue car speed off into the night. Even after its taillights vanished into the sparse traffic, they held their positions, pretending to be invisible. Admittedly, none of them had much training in stealth, so their wait was punctuated by restless shifts and the scuff of sandals on tile, but no one was around to notice.

Finally, Rokuro stood, stretching muscles tight from disuse. His ill-fitting gigai protested the move, jolting uncomfortably as he forced it into motion. "Why is a prostitute asking questions 'bout the drug?" he demanded, turning to the erstwhile leader of the trio.

Norio sighed. "I dunno. But the boss said t' watch for anything off, and this seems off to me." He gazed into the distance, peering into the blackness as though he could discern the blue car just by looking.

The third member of the group, a skinny man with a crooked nose, snorted. "She's just a whore lookin' for her next fix, what's so weird 'bout that? We dunno even if she's lookin' for what we got."

"Eiji, we've never seen her afore. That's weird enough. How did she hear 'bout it?" Norio asked wearily. Running his fingers through his unkempt brown hair, he sighed heavily. The perpetual lack of sleep and tension was taking a toll on him.

Eiji, thin body bearing the marks of childhood malnutrition, rolled his eyes. "The human women talk to each other, duh. And don't pretend ya know all the working gals 'round here."

Rokuro ran a hand through curly brown hair, ignoring the faint hitch as the artificial body responded sluggishly. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. What I wanna know is why we hafta sell this crap anyways."

"As I've told ya a hundred times, boss wants us to," Norio said firmly.

"Feels like workin' for a family, though," Rokuro grumbled. He peered over the edge at the neon signs below them, flickering brightly over the heads of the throng searching for a good time. "It's not like we're doin' much good here, we should be back in the Rukon with the rest."

Norio slapped him lightly in the back of the head. "Helpin' here gets us what we need fer back there, and ya know it. Without the boss, we'd get slaughtered afore gettin' anythin' done."

Rokuro scratched his head, sleeve falling back to reveal dark tattoos spiraling up skinny wrists. "I dunno if we can trust the boss, though. He's not one of us. Why's he the boss, anyway?" He despised the man, and would gladly desert him in an instant if they didn't need his help so badly.

Eiji laughed harshly. "Course we can't trust him. But so long as he gives us stuff, don't hurt us to help out. Don't hurt the humans neither, jest makes 'em happy fer a bit." He rolled his eyes. "An' he's the boss cause he's got the power an' he knows it." There was a trace of fear in his tone.

Rokuro turned his back on the older man, gazing out at the endless pinpricks of light in the city below. The strange man they had to obey scared him, but the city was remarkable. Far grander and gaudier than the district where he'd grown up with his sister, but the same corruption stalked these mean streets. The same desperation, the same vices could be found in all these mortals. Even the yakuza here ran their shadowy underworld with the same iron fists as the gangs back home. It sickened him at the same time it gave him hope. Despite all the problems of this world, the vast majority of people lived far better than the average person in his home district. If that was possible here, why not at home? Sure, there were always the homeless and disenfranchised, but here that description didn't match almost everyone.

The skinny man bared his teeth in a silent snarl. Damn shinigami and their damn privileges. None of them cared about the higher-numbered districts, not even the ones who came from there. Asking them for help was like asking the wind. They educated the kids just enough to show them how much better it was for the upper classes, then dumped them back on the street. His little sister could have gone to their damn academy, if they'd had the money, but that was never going to happen. _Stupid arrogant shinigami_. However much he disliked selling drugs to foolish kids and desperate adults, if it gave him the tools to help his family and get back at the soul reapers, he'd do it.

The creep who made the drug, though, made his skin crawl. He'd met the pink-haired pervert once, and that was more than enough. Thankfully Norio was usually the one to get the supply. Norio despised the scientist, too, but he was better at hiding it. They had to live in the same complex as the stranger, and that was easily sufficient to put Rokuro on edge day and night. _I'm not even sure he's human_ , he thought disgruntledly. _He sure don't act sane, if he is_.

"C'mon, stop daydreaming," Norio demanded. "We gotta go." Rokuro nodded, following the pair mechanically. One more day of hiding, one more night spent selling his soul along with the drugs. _It had better be worth it_.


	22. Interlude

**Author's Note:**

This is a much shorter chapter, and my first attempt at writing from Rose's perspective. He's a fascinating character, I think; I hope his personality comes across properly in this. Even if you don't like him, I suggest you read this chapter, as it includes some plot-relevant information that will be important later on.

However, I promise that the next chapter will return to the main characters!

* * *

 **Chapter 22: Interlude**

 _There truly is nothing more powerful than a well-crafted song_ , Rose mused as he tuned his guitar. The sun beat down on the metal strings, the pleasant warmth chasing away the chill of the light breeze. The eloquent strains of 'I See Fire' by Peter Hollens flowed through his mind as the vizard planned out his first set of the morning. 'I See Fire,' then 'Dust and Diesel,' followed by 'Sayonara' and 'Into the West.' _Yes, that will do very nicely_.

Rose assumed a comfortable, cross-legged position on the grass, settling his guitar in his lap. His Kinshara controlled music, yes, but even songs lacking the magic of his zanpakuto resonated with power. The right song could start a riot – or end one. It could bring tears to a grown man's eyes or make even the saddest heart leap for joy. The talent of a master musician could bring illusions to life without any kido at all. And Rose considered himself a master.

 _Come to me, little dealer_ , he murmured inaudibly, strumming the first plaintive chords of 'I See Fire.' _Hear the music and come to me_. He regarded the turquoise-studded bracelet on his wrist mournfully. Without its reiatsu-blocking capabilities, he could have imbued his songs with a subtle lure for any malicious people in the area. _Alas, I will have to do this the old-fashioned way_.

By noon, he'd collected a handful of coin, but no real information. Segueing into the classics mid-morning appeared to have confused the tourists, for the take today wasn't as profitable as the prior days. _Apparently they don't have the brains to appreciate the beauty of Vivaldi and Chopin, Paganini and Mendelssohn_. Rose sniffed derisively. The same pieces that won him great acclaim as the first chair violin of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra scarcely garnered a second glance from these uneducated passerby. While the music didn't have quite the same grandeur transposed to guitar, every piece was still a gorgeous work of art. _Not my problem if the tourists are too stupid to understand the glory of the songs_ , he thought smugly.

The afternoon brought slightly more excitement in the form of a fistfight between two transients in the park. Rose couldn't tell why they were fighting, but he provided excellent background music for the conflict. That may have been an unwise decision, however. One of the men had friends, who took offense at Rose's efforts. Very drunk and unschooled in combat, they were hardly a threat to the vizard, but he couldn't risk his precious guitar. So he left in a hurry, returning to the warehouse with no new information.

Shinji snickered when Rose informed him of the day's occurrences. "Well, what did you expect would happen when you tried to play battle music?" he snorted.

"Tried to play?" Rose asked indignantly. "I assure you, my music was delightful. They simply had no ear for a good song."

"Or they didn't think the fight needed accompaniment," Love suggested.

Rose sighed dispiritedly. "I hope the others are having more luck, for I'm accomplishing nothing," he complained. "I've seen several deals for marijuana, one for cigarettes, and a few others for some white powder, but none of the dealers have been anything but human."

Love patted him on the back. "Well, Lisa thought she was being watched down in Kabukicho," the burly vizard informed him. "So we're not just chasing our tails here. There is something out there."

"We knew that already," Rose retorted tartly. "But it doesn't seem to want to pay attention to a scruffy minstrel like me." He fingered the ragged hem of his shirt distastefully. "I do so despise wearing this dreadful outfit."

Shunsui, sake cup in hand, wandered over in time to hear that last statement. He chuckled. "Now you sound like Zaraki's fifth seat, Ayasegawa."

"Is he the one with feathers over his eye that was here with that little spiky-haired taicho?" Shinji guessed.

Shunsui nodded. "That's the one. Always talking about how beautiful things are." He turned back to Rose. "So, no luck on your front?" The vizard shook his head mournfully. Shunsui grimaced. "Still, be careful out there. Lisa felt someone watching us last night, and I thought I sensed something too."

"Yes, so they informed me," Rose told him.

Shinji frowned. "Wait. You went to pick up Lisa around ten last night, right?" At Shunsui's nod, he continued, "Suzuki-san reported three more deaths last night. One body was barely cool when she picked it up around eleven. So her victim can't have died more than ten minutes after you found Lisa. If someone was watching you then, they can't have been the same person who sold the drug to Suzuki-san's victim."

"Wait, so are you saying there's more than one of them out there?" Love asked incredulously.

"More than one dealer, you mean? It's a possibility anyway." Shinji grimaced as he said the last words.

"It would make sense," Shunsui said slowly. "The deaths have been scattered across the city, making it more likely that a team of people is selling this drug." He tapped his fingers against his thigh, and continued, "But there's no real reason to assume that, based on this incident. There's no reason to assume that someone would take the drug immediately after buying it."

Shinji lifted an eyebrow. "Maybe not, but three deaths in one night, plus the feeling you both had of being watched? That can't be the work of just one person." He spun his cap on his finger, staring at it moodily.

Rose bit his lip, feeling his inner hollow react violently against the idea of such an invasion. "These victims have been chosen fairly carefully, correct?" If the city was a symphony, the dead would be the notes of the minor chords and the dealers would be the unexpected sharps. It went against everything he held dear to allow such distortion to continue, and his hollow agreed wholeheartedly.

Shinji shrugged, spinning his cap on his finger. "Kisuke sure thinks so. He says he's confident that all the dead have had abnormally high levels of reiatsu." At Shunsui's quizzical look, the blond vizard threw his hands up. "Don't ask me how he figured that out. He's got some fancy machinery that told him, I think. But yeah, the victims aren't chosen at random. Why?"

"It means that there is a very intelligent predator stalking this city," Rose explained, a slight rasp in his voice despite his best efforts to suppress his hollow.

Shinji's eyes flared. "We'll catch the son of a bitch, don't you worry," he spat, an echo of his own hollow in his tone.

"You know, there's something else we're missing," Shunsui pointed out. "What happens if you give the drug to someone with no spirit energy?" His reiatsu rose in response to the crackling hollow energy darting around the vizards, and he hoped fervently that none of them lost control.

"I really hope we don't find out," Shinji grated.

Rose nodded, forcing his hollow back into the depths of his inner world with a triumphant A major chord. If the drug spread into the ordinary human populace, it could easily slaughter everyone it touched. He didn't particularly care for their petty lives, but this was their city. _Our hunting ground_ , his hollow hissed. No one else was allowed to touch it.


	23. Flowers of the Moon

**Author's Note:**

Alright, back to the main characters!

I want to say thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story, especially those of you leaving reviews. It really helps to know that people are still interested in reading, and specific feedback is particularly useful. So, if you like a certain part, or dislike something, let me know!

(As an aside, angel dust is PCP, and china white is a form of heroin.)

* * *

 **Chapter 23: Flowers of the Moon  
**

The voices were back again. Daisuke Hisao pulled his ratty sleeping bag over his head and curled up tighter, wishing they would just shut up for once. Digging his fingernails into his wrists, he added another set of bloody crescents to the multitude of half-healed cuts, and the voices cackled. He whimpered, pleading for them to go away in a broken voice, but they didn't listen. They never did.

He used to be a construction worker, a manager no less, until the unceasing chatter grew too much to bear. He started drinking, then smoking, trying to drown out the voices. When he showed up to work hungover the third day in a row, his boss had gently cut him loose. Since then, he'd been plagued by visions of masked monsters and black-robed men with flashing swords. He drank more and more, but the apparitions never went away. Getting another job was out of the question; his hands shook too badly for manual labor, and he had no skill for anything else. And without a job, his meager savings had evaporated. Soon, he had lost his apartment, his girlfriend had broken up with him, and his family had thrown up their hands in disgust.

In desperation, he had begun trying any drug he could get his hands on. Surely one of them could silence the infernal chattering. But even when he was stoned to the gills, he couldn't escape the phantasms that haunted him. They would show up at the edge of his vision, only to vanish a few seconds later, as if taunting him. His voices found that hilarious.

Sometimes he'd see the masked beasts prowling the streets, and curl up in atavistic fear until they were gone. Somehow, he knew that he didn't want to attract their attention. He didn't want the warriors in black to notice him either; they were nearly as terrifying. He dreamt of those wicked blades slicing through his chest or neck, ripping him to shreds and leaving him lying in a pool of blood.

The voices loved that too.

Daisuke peered at the paper packet of lavender crystals clutched in his trembling fingers. What had that guy called it? Moon flowers, that was it. Guaranteed to make your dreams come true. Daisuke snorted. Promises like that were a fool's paradise. But the pink-haired man had been oddly adamant about the drug's power. He'd given Daisuke the drug for a thousand yen, a pittance even a washed-up construction worker could afford. Better than angel dust, stronger than china white, and so much cheaper than anything else out there, he'd said. Daisuke hadn't trusted the way the man eyed him, with an odd mix of lust and clinical detachment. But he couldn't resist the lure of the practically-free drug.

He sighed, shakily ripping open the packet and sniffing it warily. When it didn't immediately explode in his face, he tipped the crystals out onto a battered tin plate he'd found at the thrift store. They almost seemed to glow faintly as they lay there, but he blinked and the light vanished. Just another vision. Maybe, just maybe, this drug would actually do the trick. With a practiced hand, he arranged the granules in a line and inhaled sharply.

The rush hit him immediately. Fire surged through his veins; fluffy clouds smothered rational thought. His limbs went numb, flopping to the ground like dead fish. From far away, he could hear a rapid drumbeat, thrumming in his ears. Was that his heartbeat? He couldn't tell, and it didn't really matter. His skin itched like thousands of ants were marching over it, but he couldn't lift a finger. Pain swelled in his stomach, cramping the muscles fiercely. He moaned softly as the inferno in his blood built to a crescendo, swamping his vision with scarlet streaks and cutting off his breath. He tried to scream, but it came out as a whimper. As the world dissolved into darkness, he collapsed to the ground with pain wracking his limbs.

In his head, the voices finally stopped chattering.

* * *

The faint tingle of reiatsu was the only warning Nanao had before Yoruichi burst into her tent, golden eyes burning. "Come with me!" the former captain spat, spinning on her back paws and darting away again. Nanao scrambled out of her sleeping bag, hauling an oversized sweatshirt over her t-shirt and leggings. She'd been reading by candlelight, nearly ready to go to bed, when the feline shinigami interrupted her.

"Hurry!" Yoruichi called, whirling and dashing back to Nanao impatiently. Nanao sprinted after her, clutching the silver limiter bracelet with her opposite hand. This late at night, the only light came from a few scattered campfires, making it nearly impossible for Nanao to see the black cat. Only her reiatsu sense let her follow Yoruichi as she led the way towards the edge of camp.

"Here," the feline shinigami hissed, skidding to a halt outside a tiny shelter next to a tall pine tree.

Nanao looked around, puzzled. "What's going on?"

Yoruichi bared her teeth. "Use your senses. Can't you feel it?" Nanao took a deep breath, centering herself and blocking out the distractions of the camp behind them. Cautiously, she extended her senses, sorting through the myriad traces of spirit energy floating through the air. Yoruichi watched her, inhumanly still; only the shimmer of her eyes proved she was alive.

For long moments, Nanao couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary. Then something at the edge of her sensitivity pricked her instincts. She narrowed her focus down to that one strand of reiatsu, hair-thin and flickering oddly. The vast majority of the energy registered as human, but a minuscule current of it was definitely _other_. "Is that one of the doom beasts?" Nanao whispered.

Yoruichi's head drooped. "I think so," she murmured in her gravelly voice. "But it's hard to tell."

"It's coming from this tent," Nanao pointed out quietly.

"I know." Yoruichi flattened herself to the ground, slinking underneath the tent flap. A few seconds later, she poked her head out, fixing Nanao with a yellow stare. "There's a man here, who looks to be unconscious," she said clinically.

Nanao bit her lip. "Drugged?"

"Probably; he doesn't smell right. But his spirit energy is fluctuating too much to be sure if he's tainted, or if he's simply been near something tainted."

Nanao brushed open the tent flap, glancing around warily. Seeing – and sensing – no one, she ducked into the tent. It reeked of sweat, cheap beer, and pot. Wrinkling her nose, she let her hand hover an inch above the man's dirty t-shirt as she probed for his faint, flickering reiatsu. A part of her mind noted his appearance – lined face, baggy jeans, arms covered in bloody gashes – while the rest of her attention focused on his spiritual pressure. The cool green energy was mottled with black and blue and shot through with veins of electric violet. She'd seen the same color in the auras of the fully-fledged doom beasts. As she watched, the veins sprouted tendrils, extending and thickening at the same time. _It looks like they're absorbing his reiatsu_ , Nanao realized in disgust.

"No, he's definitely tainted," she said confidently, sitting upright.

Yoruichi cursed under breath. "Can you perform that time-stop spell Tessai can use?"

Nanao shook her head. "I haven't gotten the hang of that one yet." She almost had it, but the last part of the pattern still escaped her. Taking a shallow breath, she bent back over the unconscious man, summoning the strongest healing kido she knew into the palm of her hand.

"Well, shit." The air convulsed as Yoruichi shifted into her human form. Nanao averted her eyes from the naked woman, despite the darkness concealing her body. The tent felt very small with three people crammed into a space barely big enough for two. Nanao yelped when Yoruichi's breasts brushed against her arm as the former captain peered down at the unconscious man. Yoruichi snickered. "Oh, loosen up."

"What will people think if they walk in on this?" Nanao hissed, blushing.

Yoruichi shrugged fluidly. "I think they'll be more concerned about the shapeshifting monster on the ground," she pointed out dryly.

At the moment, the man looked completely human, but she had a point. Already the magenta tendrils had doubled in size, engulfing more reiatsu by the minute. Nanao's healing kido fought grimly against the progression of the poison drifting through the man's veins, but the neon tendrils brushed through it as if it wasn't even there. Nanao flooded her spell with more energy, doing her best to memorize every detail of the transformation process with the corner of her mind not occupied with the kido. _Urahara-san will regret missing this_ , she thought wryly. _I wish I had some sort of recording device, this could be invaluable data_. They had never found a transformation this early before.

Kido flared around Yoruichi's hand, illuminating the tent with a ghostly white light. The harsh glow cast shadows across the man's face, revealing sunken eyes and pale tear tracks cutting through layers of grime. In the unforgiving light, his pained expression came across as sinister. Yoruichi studied the man dispassionately, moving the light over his emaciated chest and the jeans hanging low on skinny hips.

He twitched, the first sign of life since they'd arrived. A low moan forced its way through clenched teeth. The lurid tendrils writhed angrily around his chest, brushing Nanao's kido aside. She yelped in shock as they grabbed hungrily at her reiatsu, and Yoruichi sighed.

Then, with one sharp motion, she snapped the man's neck. The crack echoed obscenely through the tiny tent. Fuchsia tentacles writhed angrily over his body as his spirit energy flared, then dissipated. The tendrils, deprived of their energy source, withered within seconds.

A small black butterfly coalesced from thin air, fluttering out of the tent and up into the night sky.

Nanao gasped, staring at Yoruichi incredulously. "Why did you do that? We could have helped him!"

The former captain popped back into feline form, flicking her tail irritably. "And if you failed? Judging by the rate those tentacles were growing, I'd say we only had ten minutes to do anything. Maybe less." She fixed Nanao with a gimlet stare. "There are a hundred people out there in that camp. If this man managed to transform, some of them – if not all of them – would die."

"Still, we didn't try everything," Nanao argued. "We've never found a victim before the transformation takes hold, some sort of healing spell may have helped at this point."

"But your kido was doing nothing, and you're not a healer," Yoruichi replied coolly. "It's possible Unohana Taicho could have done something, though I doubt it. But neither of us could have saved him. Better to kill him now."

Nanao shook her head disbelievingly. "There has to be something we could have done," she protested weakly. _There has to be_. But, wracking her memory, she couldn't come up with anything.

Yoruichi's shoulders slumped. "Could you have really taken that risk?" she asked gently. "Besides, you saw the hell butterfly. He'll have a new life in the Soul Society, hopefully a better one."

Nanao bit her lip, looking down at the cooling corpse in front of her. The man's head lay at a grotesque angle, greasy hair spilling across his face. His lips were slightly parted, as if he was about to speak. Curled in a loose fetal position, he seemed so fragile. Only the faintest remnants of spirit energy hung around him, and those would evaporate before long.

Staring down at him, the young soul reaper was transported to another night, long ago, with another desperate stranger's corpse. The man's head had made an identical cracking sound when he'd flown backwards into that stone wall. His hair had even been a similar shade of brown.

The reek and heat of the tent pressed in at Nanao, suddenly oppressive in the silence. She scrambled out of the shelter, stomach lurching. The cool night air provided no relief from the gruesome snap that played over and over in her mind. As memories threatened to overwhelm her, she stumbled barely three feet before collapsing to her knees and puking her guts out.

Eons later, or so it felt like, she felt a gentle hand stroking her back, holding her hair out of her face. A low voice murmured soothing nonsense as she knelt there, swallowing hard against the taste of bile. "Here, drink this," the voice urged. A hand pushed a water bottle into her line of vision. _Taicho_ , Nanao realized with a sense of shame. She accepted the water, spitting several times before drinking deeply.

"I'm fine," she muttered, standing up and brushing off her leggings.

Shunsui regarded her worriedly. "Are you sure?"

She nodded firmly, pushing the memories to the back of her mind. "Truly, I'm alright. It just brought up bad memories, that's all." She was proud of the way her voice sounded perfectly steady, not wavering at all.

Her captain quirked an eyebrow, not fully believing her assertion, but he didn't challenge it. Instead, he asked, "So what happened?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," Urahara interjected genially, strolling over to the pair. Juushiro and Yoruichi – back in naked human form – followed, chatting in low voices. Somehow, Juushiro maintained perfect composure, despite Yoruichi's state of undress. Shunsui, of course, grinned at her appreciatively.

"When did you all get here?" Nanao inquired curiously.

"I called them while you were busy being sick," Yoruichi explained nonchalantly. She tilted her head to one side, eyeing the younger soul reaper with an unreadable expression. "Everything all right?" Nanao nodded curtly. "Well, good. Anyway, I believe you three wanted to know what's going on?"

Urahara tipped his hat in her direction. "If you'd be so kind."

Yoruichi launched into an explanation, but Nanao couldn't stop staring at the tent hiding the corpse. Though she couldn't see it, the grotesque angle of his head was seared into her brain. It was far too familiar for comfort. Minuscule sparks danced in front of her vision, mocking her façade of calm. Her stomach roiled nauseatingly, threatening to heave again, and she swallowed hard. Clenching her teeth together, she fought for composure.

"Nanao-chan? Is everything alright?" Shunsui asked in an undertone as she swayed on her feet. To someone who didn't know her, the motion would be undetectable, but he could feel the distress in her reiatsu no matter how hard she tried to lock it down. With that to guide him, the physical cues of her discomfort were obvious.

She glanced up at him, mouth pressed into a thin line. He suspected that, if it was daytime, her skin would have assumed an unhealthy greenish tinge. "Come on, let's take a walk," he urged gently. She bit her lip, hands clenched into fists at her sides. He held out a patient hand to her, no censure in his gaze. After agonizing moments, she accepted.

Her hand trembled oh-so-slightly in his.

He led her to a small glade off the beaten path, far enough away that no one could hear them or see them. The other shinigami could still sense his reiatsu, of course, but none of them would pry. In a gallant gesture, he swung his jacket off his shoulders and laid it out on the ground. "Please, Nanao, sit." He waved a hand at his jacket, striving to look as though he was escorting a queen to her throne.

Nanao smiled weakly at that. Sinking to the ground, she pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "So, why'd you bring me here?" she asked softly, staring at the ground as though it held all the secrets of the universe.

"You didn't seem to be very comfortable back there," he explained seriously. "Anything you want to talk about?" Shunsui took a seat next to her, careful not to crowd her. The moonlight glittered on her cheeks before she buried her head in her arms.

Nanao sighed, wiping away the tears rolling down her face before her captain could see them. His comforting presence at her side radiated heat like a furnace as he wrapped her in his reiatsu. Her own spirit energy melded with his, slowing down to match the rhythm of his heartbeat. She really didn't want to talk about this; she'd never told anyone about that incident before. The only one who knew was Lisa, and, well – she'd been there. But her captain would wait forever, patient as a rock, for her to gather the courage to tell her story.

Regardless, she meant to tell him that everything was fine. Instead, she found herself explaining, "When I was just a kid, I lived in the 58th district of West Rukongai. It… wasn't a great life. I was hungry all the time, though I could usually steal enough to get by. Life wasn't nearly as harsh there as it was in higher-numbered districts." Shunsui nodded soberly.

She took a deep breath and continued, "Anyway, I'm sure you know what often happens to pretty children in those districts, especially those with high reiatsu. One of those men approached me one day; offered me all the food I could eat, pretty clothes, you name it. But I didn't trust him. He came back again and again, until one day he tried to grab me." It had been a stormy evening, dark clouds hanging ominously over the horizon. The setting sun had cast long shadows across the land, emphasizing the man's hooked nose and sunken eyes. He'd looked even more sinister then than ever before.

She'd foolishly wandered away from the village, to a small spring she'd found weeks earlier. Some long-ago men had built a low stone wall around it, protecting it from the elements. Though the mortar had weakened, and blocks had tumbled away, most of the wall had stood firm against the hand of time. She had been playing with a makeshift boat – created from sticks and leaves – when footsteps crunched on the gravel path behind her.

The stranger had stood there, greed ill-concealed in his eyes. He'd attempted to soothe her with pretty words and open hands, but she could feel the menace pouring off of him. When she had begun slowly backing away, he'd lunged at her.

"So I blasted him with reiatsu. I didn't know what I was doing at the time. I just wanted him to get away from me." She'd wished for that with all her heart, and some unknown power inside of her had responded. Energy had surged out of her hands, rushing at the man in a tumultuous avalanche of power. He never stood a chance.

"He hit his head on the wall behind him, breaking his neck. You know, I never even knew his name." At the time, that hadn't seemed important. Now, she wondered if he'd had a family, a lover or children somewhere. What sort of person had he been?

Shunsui reached out tentatively, laying an arm around her shoulders. She curled up into his inviting warmth, burying her face in his chest. He stroked her back, murmuring, "You were just a child. You didn't know how to control it. It wasn't your fault."

Nanao shrugged awkwardly. "I know. But it still bothers me."

She felt her captain nod, though she couldn't see his face. "I remember the first man I killed," he offered quietly. "I don't think you ever forget that. Maybe you shouldn't. But you shouldn't let it haunt you either." He sighed heavily. "In my centuries as a soul reaper, I've done things I'm not proud of. Killed people who didn't deserve to die. Couldn't save everyone I wanted to save." His arms tightened around her, holding her close. "I wish I could say it gets easier with time, but I don't think it does. But it does get easier when you share it with someone else. I'm honored that you trusted me enough to tell me this." She could feel the medley of emotions in his reiatsu: pride, trust, acceptance, respect, and some undefined emotion that felt a lot like love.

Nanao snuggled a bit closer. "I suppose every cloud does have a silver lining; if that hadn't happened, I would have never become a soul reaper." Shunsui hummed a questioning sound, making her laugh as the vibrations shook his chest. "It wasn't more than a minute after he died that Lisa-san appeared. She'd been on a long-range patrol when she felt the burst of uncontrolled reiatsu. She took me back with her to the Seireitei, got me enrolled in the Academy and everything."

"Hmm, I remember her asking for a scholarship application around that time," Shunsui mused. "That must have been it." It had been such an unusual request that it had stuck in his memory, especially since she had refused to explain why she wanted the forms.

Nanao nodded. "Lisa set everything up so I wouldn't have to worry about anything. She promised not to tell anyone what had happened, too."

Shunsui chuckled. "She kept that promise. I had no clue what she was up to until the first time I saw you, following her around like a little lost puppy."

"I did not!" Nanao spluttered indignantly, slapping him in the arm.

"Yeah, you did," he retorted genially. "The first few weeks you were in my squad, I don't think you left her side once."

A long pause. "Maybe," Nanao admitted sheepishly. "I was just a kid, and I was scared, okay?"

Shunsui petted her hair soothingly. "Now, I'm not saying it was a bad thing! It was rather cute. You were our little mascot."

"And you're never going to let me forget it," Nanao grumbled.

"Nope!" her captain replied cheerfully. He bent his head, pressing a kiss to the top of her hair. "What are your plans for the rest of the night?"

Nanao cautiously probed his reiatsu, but couldn't sense anything but curiosity overlaying genuine concern. If he was planning to demand that she return to safety, there was no sign of it. "I should probably remain here tonight," she said reluctantly. "It'll look suspicious if I vanish the same night that this man dies. And this is the closest we've gotten to a good lead; I don't want to miss any possible clues."

Her captain sighed, arms tightening briefly around her. "If the dealer returns to check on his handiwork, don't do anything rash, alright?"

She smiled, though he couldn't see her expression. Half of her had expected him to demand that she return to the hotel, or at least consent to extra protection. _Maybe there is hope for him after all_ , she laughed to herself. "I won't," she promised. "If it starts to look dangerous, I'll call for backup immediately."

Shunsui patted her on the head like a child, and she bristled. "Now that's my brilliant Nanao-chan!"

"Sir, I'm not your anything, except your lieutenant," she reminded him patiently. He just chuckled, standing up, which perforce brought her to her feet as well.

"Come on, let's get back to the others before they decide a hollow must have eaten us," he urged lightly.

Yoruichi concurred with Nanao's decision to remain the camp, promising to stay on guard as well. "We've never waited to see if the person creating these drugs comes to check on the status of his creations," she pointed out sensibly. "If he does return, we can't miss that opportunity."

"So what do we do with the body?" Juushiro asked.

Urahara shrugged, fluttering his fan in front of his face. "Leave it for now. In the morning, if nothing happens, we can call the police and report a drug overdose."

"And how do we explain the way he died from a broken neck, and not a drug overdose?" Yoruichi inquired sardonically.

"Ah, right," Urahara replied sheepishly. "Well, so long as Suzuki-san is the coroner, we can always ask her to lie about the cause of death."

Juushiro smiled wryly. "Suzuki-san won't be pleased with that, I suspect."

The eccentric shopkeeper laughed. "She will have the chance to dissect a body in the process of transforming into an entirely new life form. She won't complain too loudly." Nanao privately thought he might be wrong on that, but she let it go. Unless they wanted to completely destroy the body, they would need to get the police involved somehow. _And I don't think any of us want to lose the information that an autopsy might give us_. At least Suzuki knew something about their current troubles, and was unlikely to try to arrest them for murder.

"That means we should probably stay in camp tomorrow as well, then," Yoruichi declared. "If the police show up, it'll be the hottest gossip around, and someone may inadvertently let something slip." Nanao nodded in agreement.

Shunsui sighed disconsolately. "Will you come home tomorrow night, then?" he asked Nanao, doing his best to maintain a level tone.

She nibbled on her lip for a bit, weighing the possible consequences of breaking her routine against the pleasure of a night in a real bed. "Sure," she decided finally. "One night can't hurt." Especially since her captain had asked politely, without badgering or whining. Good behavior should always be rewarded.

Shunsui flashed her a grateful smile. "Then I suppose we'd better let you two get back to your vigil. See you tomorrow, Nanao-chan!" He, Juushiro, and Urahara flashstepped away, leaving Yoruichi and Nanao alone with the forlorn little tent.

Yoruichi fixed Nanao with a piercing stare. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Nanao looked past the brazen shinigami, carefully ignoring her nudity. "Shouldn't you change back to a cat?" she inquired, dodging the question.

A flurry of reiatsu later, an irritated black cat crossed her paws in front of her. "Just don't let your emotions impact your ability to fight," she warned.

"I won't," Nanao promised. Sometimes Yoruichi, for all her playfulness, showed her past as a ruthless assassin a little too clearly. "Anyway, do you want to take the first watch?" Yoruichi nodded, and Nanao breathed a sigh of relief. "Then I'm going to go to bed; wake me up when it's my watch."

At Yoruichi's bob of agreement, Nanao trotted back through the silent camp, alert for any unusual noises. Several men argued in low voices somewhere in the distance, but her immediate path was clear. She toyed with her silver bracelet, running her fingers over the turquoise stones. If she hadn't been wearing it, could she have sensed the man's transformation soon enough to save him? _No_ , her Kajishizu whispered softly. _Not without using my powers_. And a shikai release would have been far too obvious.

Nanao sighed, curling up tightly in her sleeping bag. Morning would come far too soon, especially since she doubted sleep would come swiftly. _Just close your eyes_ , Kajishizu advised. _I'll help you rest_. As her zanpakuto's powers washed over her, she felt the stress and anxiety drain away, replaced by peaceful weariness. _Thank you_ , she murmured silently.


	24. Illusion of Transparency

**Author's Note:**

I have a question for my readers: what pairing do you want to see in this story? So far, I know it hasn't been too clear; that's deliberate. I wanted to leave it open, so I could take the story in several different directions. But the main plotline is starting to heat up, and I want the relationship subplot to develop further, so I think the next scene will do that. So, what do you want to see: NanaoxJuushiro, NanaoxShunsui, or NanaoxShunsuixJuushiro?

Shunsui and Juushiro will still be a couple; in this canon they've been together for centuries, and that's not changing. But they're definitely polyamorous, and I can see Nanao dating either or both of them. So let me know what you'd prefer!

* * *

 **Chapter 24: Illusion of Transparency  
**

To everyone's disappointment, no one tried to check on their deceased victim. By mid-morning, the gentle breeze carried a faint scent of putrefaction towards Yoruichi's sensitive nose, a sure sign that the corpse was starting to bloat in the hot tent. She grimaced as she abandoned her post under a handy bush, after a quick check to make sure no one was watching. She doubted that anyone would take notice of what a random stray did, but it was ingrained habit at this point.

Phones were difficult to operate without thumbs, and a naked woman in daylight would draw far too much negative attention, so she went to find Nanao. The younger soul reaper had taken over the watch from 3 AM to 7 AM, and promptly returned to bed afterwards. She was not particularly pleased to be woken by the judicious application of a cold nose to her cheek.

"The body is starting to smell," Yoruichi informed her dryly as Nanao glared.

The kido master sighed. "Of course it is. Fine, I'll call it in." She pulled out a disposable cell phone from a cleverly concealed pocket in her sleeping bag, brushing her bangs out of her face as she dialed Suzuki's number. "Hello, Suzuki-san? Are you on duty right now?" Yoruichi could hear an irritated affirmative from the speaker, followed by a sharp question. Nanao smiled uncomfortably. "There's been another death, but there are a few irregularities in the way he died. If I call in an anonymous tip, can you make sure you're the coroner on the scene?" Expletives burst out of the tinny speakers, followed by a demand for more information. Nanao glanced over questioningly, and Yoruichi shook her head firmly. According to Kisuke, anyone could eavesdrop on phone conversations if they had half a brain. Better to explain delicate information in person.

"I'm sorry, but I really can't tell you more now," Nanao informed Suzuki quietly. "It'll all be clear once you arrive." More swearing, but the coroner eventually agreed. Nanao quickly called the regular police line, reporting a dead body in Shinjuko Garden. When they asked for her name, she snapped the phone shut.

Yoruichi nodded approvingly. "Let's mingle and watch the commotion," she suggested mischievously.

"I'll see if I can find Tanaka-san," Nanao decided. "He seems to know most of the gossip around here; I'm sure he'll hear about it when the cops arrive." She trotted off to find the kind older gentleman as Yoruichi slunk away into the shadows. The dealer may not have made an appearance, but that didn't mean that someone wouldn't let an important clue slip.

* * *

Juushiro and Urahara had just finished lunch when the old corded phone on the shop wall squawked. Urahara gave the device a wide-eyed, offended look, but it continued to jangle merrily, and he made a face as he picked it up. "Urahara's shoten, how may I help you?" He winced and pulled the phone away from his ear. "Alright, calm down! We can fix this, I promise!" An irate female voice snapped back something along the lines of 'you better,' making Urahara sigh as he put the phone back to his ear.

"Suzuki-san?" Juushiro mouthed, amused. Under the circumstances, he couldn't think of another woman who would call the shopkeeper to yell at him; Yoruichi – and the women among the vizards – took a much more physical route to expressing their displeasure.

Urahara nodded guiltily. "I promise, it's not a problem at all! You do have the body now though, right?" He flapped his hand at Juushiro, motioning towards his memory modifying device lying on the counter. Juushiro handed it to him with a raised eyebrow. "We'll be right over," Urahara promised. He set the phone back on its cradle, running a hand through his hair. "As you predicted, Suzuki-san is not pleased that we handed her a body and asked her to conceal its manner of death. She also says that a broken neck is incredibly obvious, and several officers will be very curious if she doesn't declare this a homicide immediately."

"Which is why you need the memory modifier," Juushiro supplied.

Urahara nodded, looking flustered. "We apparently need to get down there yesterday," he said sarcastically.

Juushiro chuckled, though he wouldn't put it past the scientist to have a time machine stored somewhere in his cluttered lab. "At least we already have a reason to be accepted at the police station," he offered.

* * *

Suzuki was practically spitting sparks when a uniformed officer escorted the pair down to her lab. "You people have caused far too many problems today," she informed them icily. "I have a pair of detectives who are positive that this is tied in to their current investigation, my captain is breathing down my neck to issue an official cause of death, and the uniforms who were first on the scene are alternating between hyper-excited and nauseated. Care to explain what's going on?"

Urahara flashed her a charming smile. "It's really quite simple. The man you have here," he gestured to the corpse lying on the stainless steel table, "is in the process of becoming a monster."

"We call them doom beasts," Juushiro supplied helpfully.

Suzuki eyed them incredulously. "You, wait, what?" She snapped her mouth shut and directed a piercing stare at Urahara. "You're serious."

He bowed to her slightly, hand on his hat. "I've never been more serious in my life."

"So what does that have to do with his broken neck?" she demanded. "What are you going to do about that?"

"Ah, well, I can modify the memories of anyone who saw the corpse," Urahara explained modestly. Juushiro hid a smile at his wide-eyed pretense of innocence, enhanced by the fan he waved in front of his face. _You know you're not fooling anyone_ , he told the shopkeeper silently. _Or at least, you're not fooling her_. He certainly couldn't fool Juushiro, who had known him since he was a raw Academy recruit.

Suzuki glared at Urahara. "So go do that, and get them off my back!" Turning to Juushiro, she asked, "Do you have any training in medicine?"

He shrugged. Repeated stays at the fourth division had led to him acquiring a broad smattering of knowledge, and his own illness drove him to learn more. "I am no expert, but I have picked up a few things."

She flapped a hand at him. "Do you have steady hands and a strong stomach?" He nodded, studying her curiously. She sighed, saying, "Then, since I obviously can't get my assistant to help with the autopsy, you'll do." Urahara tilted his head to one side, looking intrigued, and she rolled her eyes. "You can help after you fix this godawful mess." She shooed him out the door as if she was herding chickens, dusting off her hands on her white lab coat as the doors slid shut behind him.

Juushiro chuckled. "You handle him well."

Suzuki shrugged, turning towards a tray of instruments. "Here, hold this."

The next hour proved both instructive and disgusting for Juushiro. No shinigami captain had a weak stomach, but seeing a corpse methodically peeled open like an onion would be disturbing for anyone. He felt the twin spirits of Sogyo no Kotowari rise to look through his eyes curiously before returning to his inner world with identical sounds of disgust. _Humans aren't supposed to be gutted like fish_ , they informed him soberly. _But Katen-sama would probably like it!_

Juushiro laughed. He still didn't quite understand how such a lazy, peace-loving man as Shunsui ended up with such a bloodthirsty zanpakuto. But Sogyo no Kotowari was right – Katen Kyokotsu would probably be fascinated by the autopsy.

Suzuki looked over at him curiously. "What's up?"

He shook his head. "Nothing important, just a random thought."

Suzuki shrugged in response, prying out a squishy, vaguely purple organ. It squelched as she cut away the connecting tissue, and Juushiro looked away. She snickered. "I thought you people were warriors. Never seen internal organs before?"

"Not this up close," Juushiro replied calmly. _At least, not up close and relatively whole_. He'd certainly seen more than his share of mangled corpses. "What have you found so far?"

Suzuki used a thin scalpel to pull apart the lungs, revealing spidery white lines creeping up their inner edges. "These appear to be calcified tissue, though there's no obvious cause. Every other organ bears the same striations, though some are more advanced than others." She walked over to the heart, resting on a metal tray. "As you can see, both ventricles, along with the aorta, have been fully transformed into a substance resembling bone. However, it remains flexible, allowing the heart to continue functioning."

"Possibly that's what allows for the doom beasts' incredible toughness," Juushiro guessed. Faint traces of magenta reiatsu hung around the body, concentrated near the white bone spurs. _It looks like the flesh was being replaced by a highly magical substance, possibly similar to a hollow mask. Didn't Kisuke say that the vizards were vomiting a viscous white substance before becoming fully hollowfied?_ Though the doom beasts were obviously not hollows, they bore some similarities.

Suzuki went on to describe the thickening of the ribs – currently residing on their own tray – and the increase in muscle bulk in the arms and legs. At this early stage of the transformation, neither was pronounced, though Juushiro suspected that the ribcage would have become the bone plates common to every doom beast seen thus far. Other than the heart and lungs, the desiccated internal organs bore tiny puncture wounds in numerous places. Bone tendrils had punched through them en route to the more important structures.

Urahara returned partway through the examination, joining Suzuki in an enthusiastic discussion of the tracks left by the sprouting bone. He showed no disgust or shock at the sight of the extensive damage, which caused Suzuki to eye him peculiarly. Few visitors could stomach the gruesome sights in the morgue, never mind the stench, and she didn't know about his past as head of the punishment force. Juushiro was sure that Urahara had seen far worse. _For that matter, so have I_.

 _Their creator never intended for them to live long_ , Juushiro guessed as he studied the trauma. The flesh, torn apart and reshaped, couldn't possibly sustain existence for too long. Even hollows had internal organs, though theirs were substantially different from mortal anatomy. Even more telling, bone tendrils had forced their way through significant fractions of the brain. Without those processing capabilities, the resulting monster stood no chance of survival. _So why are they being made? Is this just some experiment, and these are the failed products?_ It would explain why each doom beast they faced was stronger and faster than the last, at least. But no sane scientist would embark on such an ambitious project without a goal in mind. _Though_ , Juushiro thought wryly, _no one who creates these kinds of horrors is precisely sane_. In some ways, that was the scariest thought of all. If they were dealing with a madman who lived to create chaos, there would be no way to catch him or even predict his next move.

* * *

Hiyori was bored.

Actually, that was an understatement. If she didn't find something to do soon, she was going to set something on fire.

For the hundredth time that day, the vizard stomped down the gravel path, glaring at the giggling schoolgirls in the pavilion up ahead. Their high-pitched voices irritated her ears, and the ludicrously bright clothing they wore assaulted her eyes. Somehow, they managed to make even their school uniforms look tacky by adding electric pink ties or vivid amethyst scarves. Some of them even carried ridiculous sparkly purses that couldn't have held anything useful.

 _Idiots_ , Hiyori grumbled to herself as she wandered aimlessly towards the decorative pond. She wore a simple grey skirt and jacket over a white blouse: tasteful, simple, and unassuming. Her only distinctive feature was the wide silver bracelet, set with turquoise, on her right wrist.

She tugged at it irritably as she kicked a stone out of her path. _Stupid Urahara and his stupid reiatsu-concealing gadget. Can't feel a thing with this on_. Though the scientist had promised that their senses would not be impeded, she felt like her head was wrapped in thick wool. For a vizard accustomed to knowing precisely where everyone was around her, the feeling was distinctly unnerving. But when she complained to Urahara, he insisted that everything was working fine, and that she had nothing to worry about. _Stupid Urahara_ , she repeated, kicking another stone. _How long do we have to do this, anyway? It's not like any of these idiots have any spiritual pressure worth mentioning, so they're hardly good targets for the dealer, whoever he is_.

She'd spent four days now patrolling the park, and had nothing to show for it. Just a bunch of pent-up anger that she couldn't even take out on Shinji – the blond vizard was prudently staying far away from her. The girls were bad enough; the homeless community was worse. After the second day and the hundredth leer, she'd stayed away from their tarp shelters. Most of them were okay, but a few made her foot itch to kick them where it would hurt the most. _But no, can't blow my stupid cover_ , she thought resentfully. So kicking, punching, or otherwise teaching those perverts a lesson would have to wait. None of them had any power either.

In fact, they had a ghost living right in the middle of their camp, and none of them even batted an eye at it. The old man mostly stood in one place, watching the world with a placid expression, while they just walked right through him. She'd tried talking to him, to see if he'd seen anything unusual, but he simply told her to beware of the flowers from the moon. _Like that helps_.

Hiyori dropped down onto the grass underneath a weeping willow, tossing a rock into the lake. Just a few more hours today, and she could return home. The schoolgirl gaggles tended to disappear around nine or ten at night, presumably in search of a more exciting locale, which allowed her to leave as well. She didn't really care where they went, since none of them were tempting targets for their mysterious dealer.

 _Though_ , she realized with a start, _that isn't quite true_. A group of six girls had followed her down to the lakeside, chattering about the latest escapades of some celebrity or other. Five of the six wore bright lipstick and eyeshadow, colorful accessories, and fashionable boots, but the sixth? In her plain gray uniform, unembellished by any hint of sparkles or sequins, she looked positively plain. While the other girls laughed and teased one another, she tossed crumbs to the ducks clustered by the shore. Though she trailed the group, occasionally making a comment or two, she stood slightly outside their little circle of gossip.

And while the first five had no spiritual energy at all, hers was a low buzz on Hiyori's skin.

The vizard girl frowned. The mousy school girl didn't really fit in with the others, but she followed them around anyway. _Like a lost puppy, kick it and it just comes back looking for more_ , Hiyori thought derisively. She crept closer, pretending to be absorbed in her own thoughts.

"So, Hana, how was your date last night?" the girl in the pink scarf asked, tittering.

A girl with shimmering blue eyeshadow, apparently Hana, answered. "Oh, he was a perfect gentleman. Handsome too, which makes it so much easier."

Another girl toyed with a lock of hair dyed aquamarine, giggling. "Sure it does! Though you know what else makes it easier?" She paused, looking expectantly around the group.

The first girl smirked. "Yeah, Keiko?" The girl with the aquamarine hair leaned forward and whispered something in her ear. The girl tossed her head back, cheeks pink as she playfully smacked Keiko on the shoulder. "That's awful! You know they won't pay as much if you're all loopy."

Hana snorted. "This guy paid really well too. I've got enough for that gorgeous Chanel handbag – you know, the one with the silk lining?"

Keiko rolled her eyes. "You're still after that? Really?"

"Just because you're too dumb to get a guy to ask for your phone number after your date, don't blame me," Hana returned with a supercilious smirk.

"That's cause I'm not stupid enough to go all the way with them like you, moron," the girl returned haughtily.

One of the other girls, who had been silent until now, intervened before the sniping could devolve further. "So, are you all going to Mika's party this weekend? It should be a blast!"

The girls turned their attention away from their spat, and Hiyori sighed. _Idiots_. She noticed that the outsider girl was still watching the ducks, a faint blush on her cheeks as she studied their placid motions intently. Hiyori decided to nickname her Sparrow, since there was next to no chance she'd learn her real name any time soon. She, at least, was vaguely interesting.

Sparrow crouched low, offering a hand to one of the ducks. It wandered closer before pecking at the outstretched fingers in a cursory sort of way. To Hiyori's surprise, Sparrow didn't flinch. It appeared the girl preferred the company of the animals to that of her classmates, and knew how to handle them. Her reiatsu may have had something to do with that; it wrapped the ducks in calm and contentment as Sparrow continued to break bits off a stale loaf of bread. _She can't be doing that on purpose, but it's fairly effective for a human_ , Hiyori admitted silently. Though her spiritual pressure was nowhere near the level of a shinigami, it was potent for a mortal.

"Hey, Nezumi, are you coming?" the girl with the orange flowers in her hair called. Sparrow jumped up from her contemplation of the ducks, running over to the other girls.

Hana slung a companionable arm around her shoulders, asking, "So are you gonna go out on a date tonight?"

"I don't think so," Sparrow – Nezumi – said quietly. "The last one didn't go so well."

"So he was an asshole, shit happens," Keiko snorted coarsely. "Come on, I bet the next guy will be better."

The group strolled away, out of Hiyori's hearing, still pressuring Nezumi to go on a date. The vizard rolled her eyes. When she'd first heard about these telephone clubs and dating clubs, she hadn't believed her ears. Girls, some as young as thirteen or fourteen, were going on 'dates' with middle-aged businessmen. Not for food or for shelter, but because they wanted the latest and greatest fashions. That made no sense to Hiyori. Why prostitute yourself unless you had to? It wasn't a particularly enjoyable form of work, after all.

But the girls didn't see it that way. Three or four dates could make them enough money to buy a new pair of heels or purse, while they'd have to spend months working at a low-paying job to earn the same amount. All they had to do was wander into one of the dating clubs and wait for a guy to pick them out. The clubs, usually found in small apartments, were easy to find. In theory, the girls were simply supposed to accompany the guys to tea or karaoke singing, but in practice they often did much more. They even gave out their cell phone numbers to their 'dates' so they could start freelancing instead of relying on the clubs, which took a cut of the profit.

Telephone clubs worked much the same way, though the guys waited in the club for a girl to call. The numbers could be found plastered to any phone booth or utility pole, accompanied by vague descriptions and glowing promises of easy cash. According to Ururu, many girls called them out of curiosity the first time. Hiyori didn't want to contemplate how the young girl knew that, since she'd been far too young to consider going on 'dates' when she lived on the street.

That was the world the vizard had entered when she agreed to Urahara's madcap scheme. She wasn't particularly pleased. Thankfully, she didn't need to go on any dates, but just being around the spoiled brats was enough to make her want to scream.

Maybe Sparrow – Nezumi – would help with that. She was a more likely target than the rest of her idiot gang, though Hiyori had her doubts that any school girl would really be targeted. None of the victims they'd found were younger than seventeen, after all, and Nezumi couldn't be more than fifteen. It didn't mean it couldn't happen, but it seemed like this dealer was targeting adults.

 _Would a younger subject make a weaker doom beast?_ Hiyori wondered, playing with Urahara's damn bracelet. _Or would it be stronger because the kid has more life left to live?_ That was a question for the perverted scientist.

 _Younger prey is always more tender_ , her hollow whispered from deep inside her soul. _Shut up, stupid!_ she spat back silently. _That's not even relevant!_ Though in reality, her idle musings weren't relevant either. All she had to do was watch the brats and wait for someone to offer them drugs. It wasn't the most boring assignment she'd had as a soul reaper, but that realization provided scant comfort. Hopefully the stupid mission would be over quickly.


	25. Nightfire

**Author's Note:**

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day! In honor of commercialized romance, martyred saints, and forgotten pagan holidays, here's the chapter many of you have been waiting for... zero plot and a lot of romantic tension!

I will freely admit that romance is not my forte. I find it awkward to write, since my own experiences with it are fairly nontraditional and I dislike the typical scripts that most classic romantic encounters follow. Hopefully you all enjoy this! It's a lot longer than my usual chapters, but there really isn't a great place to split the scene into two parts.

Warning: kink

* * *

 **Chapter 25: Nightfire**

 _I cannot wait for this assignment to be over_ , Nanao sighed to herself as she stripped off her street clothes, dropping the silver bracelet on the dresser. _All I want is a nice long shower and a good book, and a chance to sleep in a real bed_. Her own bed would be preferable, but that wasn't going to happen. But even the hotel bed would be better than a sleeping bag. _I never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually grateful for Kyoraku-taicho's protectiveness_. Unfortunately, she could feel Lisa's reiatsu outside, and she had a sneaking suspicion of what the vizard was planning. _I don't think I get to relax anytime soon_.

A knock on the door made the younger soul reaper roll her eyes in resignation. _Knew it_. She wrapped a fluffy robe around herself and pulled open the door to see Lisa grinning cheerfully. "We're going to the club," she announced, "and this time you're coming with us." She strode past Nanao, kicking the door closed with a foot and dumping a pile of clothes on Nanao's bed. "No arguments."

Nanao sighed. "Lisa, I'm not really in a social mood," she pointed out. The events of the previous night were still highlighted in her mind, and were unlikely to disappear any time soon. The singularly fruitless day that had followed hadn't left her in the best mood either.

"Then it's a good thing that Nightfire's holding a special party tonight," Lisa replied. "Only long-term members and their guests, which means there will be maybe twenty people there. And you'll know half of them." The vizard glanced at her slyly. "It's the perfect time to try a suspension."

Nanao had to admit that the prospect was exciting, but she wasn't sure she wanted to try anything in front of strangers, or even the vizards. "I don't know," she said reluctantly.

Lisa gave her a warm smile. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to, but I think you should give it a try."

The slender soul reaper sighed. "I suppose it couldn't hurt," she replied dubiously.

Lisa clapped her hands. "Perfect! Now you go take a shower, and then I'll help you get dressed." She shooed Nanao off to the bathroom, ignoring her protests. "Trust me, you'll love how you look when I'm done," she promised merrily.

When Nanao emerged from the shower, she found that Lisa had already changed into her own outfit. The vizard wore a flowing crimson dress, slit up the side to reveal thigh-high sheer stockings. The strapless gown sunk low between her breasts, highlighting the elaborate silver necklace she wore. Cat-eye makeup and bangles completed the look. "You look stunning," Nanao complimented honestly.

Lisa waved off the remark. "Not half as good as you'll look!" She studied the soul reaper thoughtfully. "Not leather, not tonight anyway. You'd look amazing in it, but it's not the best for rope work." She pulled a shimmery top and black miniskirt from the pile on Nanao's bed. "Here, try these on." She tossed the clothes to Nanao, who caught them and returned to the bathroom.

She walked out a few minutes later, tugging uncomfortably at the hem of the skirt. "I don't think this is going to work," she muttered. The skirt barely reached past her butt, after all.

Lisa circled her, frowning. "You're right. Hmm. Maybe something simpler."

"Simple is good," Nanao said fervently. More fabric than a handkerchief would also be good, but she didn't hold much hope for that.

Lisa pulled a black dress out and looked at it critically. "Try this." When Nanao returned a little bit later, she smiled approvingly. "Much better!"

Nanao eyed herself in the mirror nervously. The soft fabric swirled around her legs, caressing her skin, while the tight bodice flattered her meager curves. The sweetheart neckline didn't expose too much of her chest, though it fell significantly lower in back. Far more daring than what she usually wore, yes, but, "I think I like it."

The vizard smiled, repeating her circle. She stopped halfway, looking at Nanao reprovingly. "You can't wear a bra with this," she pointed out firmly. "And that reminds me, I'm sure you need prettier underwear too."

"Why?" Nanao protested.

"You can't have the back of the bra showing, and every girl needs pretty panties." Lisa handed her a bit of lace, which Nanao looked at in horror. "Go put that on, and get rid of that bra, then we can deal with hair and makeup."

Once the whole process was done, Nanao had to admit she looked rather lovely, though she felt strangely vulnerable in the getup. Lisa had undone her habitual bun, allowing her hair to cascade down her shoulders, and told her to leave the glasses behind. "You're not going to be reading anything, and therefore you don't need them," she said firmly. She had then proceeded to outline Nanao's eyes in smoky eyeshadow, "To bring out that gorgeous violet." Nanao felt a bit like a doll.

* * *

When his lieutenant stepped out of her room, Shunsui couldn't believe his eyes. What had happened to his shy, demure Nanao-chan? She wore a black dress that hugged her chest as if it had been painted on her; her wide amethyst eyes shone without her concealing glasses. Her black high heels, borrowed from Lisa, emphasized her stellar legs, which she really needed to show off more. He wolf-whistled appreciatively. "Wow, my Nanao-chan looks good enough to eat!"

She blushed, looking down awkwardly. "You look gorgeous, Nanao-san," Juushiro praised. Like Shunsui, he'd barely recognized her at first. The two men wore their own versions of club gear, though their outfits were more subdued. Shunsui's tight black jeans clung to his legs, while a pink button-up shirt left halfway open emphasized the hard muscles of his chest. Juushiro wore crisp gray slacks and a dark jacket over a white fitted shirt, highlighting the silver waterfall of hair flowing down his back.

"You both would look so good in leather pants," Lisa declared regretfully, studying them. "I have to see if Kensei or Shinji have anything that would fit." She nudged Nanao. "Don't you think that'd be so hot?"

Nanao cursed internally as she blushed, imagining it. Shunsui laughed. "If my Nanao-chan thinks it would be hot, I'll definitely have to try it!"

Thankfully, she was saved from having to answer by Mashiro, who bounced around the corner exclaiming, "Are you guys ready yet? We're all downstairs waiting."

"One second," Lisa said quickly. She pulled Nanao back, and whispered, "Ask Juushiro!" She released the nervous shinigami and smiled broadly at Mashiro. "Now we're ready!

"Awesome!" Mashiro cheered. She skipped away down the hall, humming to herself.

Lisa turned to Shunsui and, to his surprise, curtsied. "Would such a gentleman as yourself care to escort a lonely lady?" she asked grandly.

The flamboyant captain swept into an exaggerated bow. "I'd be overjoyed to escort such a beautiful lady," he replied, offering her an arm.

She wrapped her arm around his, winking at Nanao when he looked away. "Good luck!" she mouthed. Nanao bit her lip as the vizard led her captain down the hallway, too flustered to notice the mischievous look he gave Juushiro over his shoulder. When the pale captain tapped her on the shoulder, she jumped. "May I escort you?" he offered, a twinkle of amusement in his eye.

She looked at his arm blankly for a second before realizing that he expected her to take it. "Oh, um, sure," she managed, laying her hand on top of his.

"There's no need to be nervous," he promised gently. "Nightfire is a very welcoming place, and if you're uncomfortable with anything you see you can always tell one of us." She flushed, looking down. "Or is there something else going on?"

 _Damn perceptive captains and their ability to see way too much_ , Nanao cursed internally. She had no doubt that Juushiro knew the answer to his question. Both he and Shunsui had probably guessed that something was going on the moment they saw her, though she wasn't sure how much they had figured out. Both men had a startling ability to read people, though, so they probably knew more than she wanted them to know. _Well, if they've already guessed, it can't hurt to say it out loud_ , she rationalized. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.

"Nanao-san?" Juushiro asked softly. He lifted her chin with two fingers, and she shivered at the gentle touch. "You can tell me anything," he reassured her.

 _Maybe not this, though_ , she thought unhappily. Despite Lisa's repeated guarantees (she'd even brought her full rope kit along so Juushiro could borrow it), Nanao was skeptical that Juushiro would be comfortable with her request. Desperately, she tried to think of some excuse, some reason that would explain her nerves.

Nothing had come to mind when the pale captain dropped her chin and tentatively wrapped his arms around her. "Nanao, I mean it. It doesn't matter what it is."

 _Oh, to hell with it_ , she thought, and blurted out, "Lisa says you're into shibari. Is she right?"

She felt Juushiro's chest vibrate as he replied, "I am, yes. Does that bother you?"

"No," she said hurriedly. "Um, well, um…" She trailed off, floundering.

Gentle amusement was evident in his spirit energy when he asked, "Do you want to try it?"

Nanao froze, only relaxing when Juushiro's reiatsu curled around her soothingly. "Um, yes?" she asked tentatively.

He stroked her hair softly. "I'd be delighted to show you," he promised, "but maybe we should discuss this more at the club? Otherwise we'll have an angry Mashiro on our heads."

She laughed shakily. "Alright. Let's catch up with them then."

They hurried out of the hotel to find everyone lounging against the wall, looking bored. "You two took forever," Mashiro whined.

"They're here now, though, so let's go!" Lisa urged, sparing Nanao from any questioning. The vizard ached a brow at her protégée in silent question, and Nanao nodded slightly. Lisa grinned happily, hoisting a duffle bag over her shoulder. She and Shinji were driving the group to the club, in order to avoid sightings of flying humans making the evening news. Shunsui, Juushiro, and Nanao rode with Lisa, while Kensei and Mashiro piled into Shinji's car. The other vizards had opted to stay home, which was fairly typical according to Lisa.

* * *

For Nanao, the car ride seemed to last an eternity. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and her throat was in knots. Lisa and Shunsui bantered as if they hadn't noticed anything, but Nanao had spotted the inquisitive look her captain gave Juushiro. The white-haired shinigami had returned a glance that promised to explain everything later. Nanao concentrated on taking slow, even breaths, calming the storm roiling through her reiatsu. Juushiro's energy twined around hers like a playful cat, helping her relax.

She had almost managed to get rid of the tension in her shoulders when the car stopped. "We're here," Lisa announced cheerfully. Nanao immediately froze, panic coming back full force. _What am I thinking?_ she asked herself frantically. Both Shunsui and Lisa looked concerned as she sat there, petrified. Then Lisa brushed a comforting tendril of reiatsu against her and hopped out of the car. "Come on, Shunsui, let's bring the gear in," she suggested.

"Anything for such a gorgeous lady," he replied flirtatiously. She fluttered her eyelashes at him, simpering. The action was so foreign to her normal personality that Nanao had to laugh.

Lisa smirked. "That's better," she laughed, returning to her normal demeanor.

"You don't have to do this, you know," Juushiro said quietly as Lisa and Shunsui flirted outrageously.

Nanao nodded. "I know. But I'm here, I may as well have some fun." She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Alright, let's do this."

Lisa patted her on the back. "That's my girl!" she exclaimed proudly. The vizard tossed a bag at Shunsui, who caught it with a startled expression. She snickered. "Heavier than it looks?"

He pouted at her. "You could have warned me! What's in this thing, anyway?"

"Knives, cuffs, a few impact toys."

Shunsui unzipped the bag. "A few? This looks like more than a few."

Lisa shrugged nonchalantly, leading the way into Club Nightfire. Shinji, Kensei, and Mashiro were already there, and had claimed a couple couches for the group. Bass echoed from the walls in a low, driving beat. As Lisa had promised, the club was sparsely attended; around a dozen people lounged in the front room, though more were probably in back. The lighting was dim, and fabric had been strung up from the ceiling, giving attendees the illusion of privacy.

"Aki!" Mashiro squealed, running over to a buxom girl with flaming red hair. "You made it!" She enveloped the girl in a tight hug, chattering excitedly.

"Well, she'll be out of our hair for a while," Kensei remarked. "Though Aki's dom may not be too happy with having another brat on his hands."

"Brat?" Nanao asked.

"Mashiro." Kensei replied sourly. "Disobedient, mischievous, immature, irritating…"

"A submissive who often playfully disobeys their dominant," Lisa clarified. "So yes, Mashiro is a good example, though usually brats save their behavior for people who enjoy it."

Kensei rolled his eyes. "That girl will never learn."

Lisa swatted him on the shoulder. "Go find a play partner, you're way too worked up." She turned to Juushiro and Nanao, handing the pale captain a duffel bag. "You'll probably need this. Now go have fun!" Shunsui looked intrigued, and Lisa tugged on his ponytail firmly. "Not you. Leave them alone."

"Why, Lisa-chan, you wound me! I would never…"

She silenced him with another tug. "Yes, you would."

Juushiro led Nanao over to the couch, setting the bag at his feet. Nanao perched stiffly on the edge, hands clenched together in her lap. The pale captain laid his hands over hers, silently urging her to relax. "Are you sure you want to try this tonight?" he asked gently. "I know it can be intimidating, especially at a place like this."

Nanao shook her head. "I want to. I might be nervous, but I'm also curious."

Juushiro nodded. "Then why don't you tell me a bit about what you want?"

"Um, well, I don't know," the slender shinigami responded slowly. "It just looked like fun."

"Can you tell me what looked fun?" Juushiro asked.

Nanao thought back to the suspension she'd seen and the pictures she'd researched. "It looked very freeing to be up in the air and flying like that," she replied hesitantly. "Very elegant and lovely."

"So you're interested in suspension," Juushiro supplied. "Have you ever been tied up before?" She blushed hotly and shook her head. He smiled at her. "It's not a bad thing, either way. But if you haven't ever been tied up, what makes you interested in it now?"

She sighed. "It looks fun?" she supplied, unsure. "I really don't know." Lisa's urging had a lot to do with it, but her natural curiosity also impelled her forwards. _It's the living world, after all_ , she reasoned. _It doesn't have to mean anything; it's just fun_.

Juushiro rubbed his thumb along her wrist. "So why don't I explain what people usually look for from rope, and you can tell me what sounds appealing?" She nodded, eyes wide. "For some people, rope is a way of connecting with their partner. It's very sensual, and the focus in on creating a bond between the two. This is my usual style." He paused thoughtfully. "Other people enjoy a more forceful kind of play, where the rope is a tool to forcibly restrain the bottom. There's usually a good bit of struggle involved, though this type of play can turn sensual once the bottom is bound. Masochistic bottoms often enjoy this, since rope can be quite painful if the top desires."

"I don't think that sounds very fun," Nanao offered.

The pale captain smiled at her. "Not a masochist then?" She blushed harder, shaking her head. "That's fine, most people aren't. Some rope bottoms enjoy trying to escape once they're bound, though obviously you don't want to do that in a suspension scene. Others simply want to fly through the air, and the rope is just the vehicle for the sensation of flight. And some people use the suspension to set up other forms of play, like wax play or knife play." He looked at her kindly. "Any of that sound like fun?"

She bit her lip. "Um, what you said first? Though the flying sounds fun too."

Juushiro laughed. "Don't worry, they're not mutually exclusive." He gazed around the room. "Well, that makes this a bit simpler. Now that I know that, I've got a few ideas, but I'd like to ask you a few more questions." Nanao looked at him inquisitively. "So, I'm guessing you researched the kink scene fairly thoroughly, right?" he said teasingly.

She looked away, but nodded. "I don't like not knowing things!" she explained, defending herself.

He laughed again. "Trust me, I know. It's a good thing!" he reassured her. "So did you read about the negotiations that are a part of any scene?" She nodded again. "Good. We already covered what you're looking to get out of this scene, so the next question every rope top asks is about your injuries: do you have any, have you had any in the past, are there any physical issues I need to know about?"

She shrugged. "That doesn't seem very applicable here, seeing as we're in gigais and a list of injuries I've received in the past would be rather lengthy."

Juushiro shook his head. "Not really, but it is important for the rope top to know if, for instance, their bottom has shoulder issues. Humans can't heal the way we do, after all. And bondage does carry some risks. Nerve damage can occur, so if you're feeling any numbness in your fingers you need to let me know immediately."

Nanao narrowed her eyes. "That'd be the radial nerve, right?"

He flashed her an approving look. "Correct. It's only a danger in certain ties, however, which leads to my next question: do you have any preferences as to how you're suspended? Do you want your hands free, or bound?"

She lifted her shoulders awkwardly. "Whatever you think is best. I trust you."

"In that case, I'll leave your hands free, though I can always tie them into the suspension once you're in the air if you want me to. That'll give you a bit more freedom, which should make you feel a bit safer. You'll be sideways, with rope around your hips and chest supporting most of your weight. How does that sound?"

She smiled shyly. "Okay."

The white-haired captain took a deep breath, looking a little uncomfortable. "This next question may be a bit awkward for you, but I need an honest response. What level of undress are you comfortable with, and where can I touch you?"

Nanao hunched her shoulders, unsure how to respond. "What do you mean, level of undress?"

"Most rope bottoms prefer to be suspended mostly nude, as it allows them to feel the rope on bare skin. I can promise that it feels incredible, and it does make it a bit easier, but if you want to remain fully dressed that's perfectly fine." Juushiro studied her worriedly, gauging her reaction. This was the part he'd been worried about, as Nanao rarely wore anything even slightly revealing. Stripping down to underwear in a kink club was not something he expected that she'd be comfortable with.

However, she surprised him when she said shyly, "If it's easier for you, I can take my dress off." It took all her courage to say that, but she figured that she might as well go all the way. Plus, nudity was clearly not unusual in this club; already half the attendees were down to their underwear. While they got the occasional compliments and appreciative glances, no one tried to grab them or make lewd comments. And not everyone had a supermodel body. A wide variety of body types were on display, and no one seemed to care.

"Are you sure?" Juushiro asked cautiously. "Please don't feel any pressure. I can suspend you fully clothed without a problem."

She nodded firmly. "I'm sure." She glanced over at Shunsui, who was chatting with Lisa and several strangers. "Though I reserve the right to kido blast my captain if he makes any remarks about it, either now or in the future."

"He'll behave himself," Juushiro promised, glad to see a spark of Nanao's natural fire return. "Do you have an answer to my second question?"

She flushed crimson, looking down. "Um… I, I…" She paused, flustered. "Can I just say that I trust you and know that you won't do anything to make me uncomfortable?"

The pale captain studied her, noting her tense posture and clenched hands. "Nanao, can you promise me that you'll tell me if you don't like what I'm doing?" She nodded immediately. "Then I'll accept that answer." He knew it would be hard for her to articulate what she wanted, but he didn't want to push any boundaries. Even after being friends for decades, she kept certain barriers up. However, shibari involved a certain amount of intimacy. He just hoped that she didn't regret it later.

"So, do you have any questions for me?" he asked softly.

She looked up and shook her head. "I don't think so."

Juushiro rose, drawing her to her feet. "Then let's go find a hard point – a place to rig the ropes from," he explained as he grabbed the bag Lisa had given him and led Nanao over to the older vizard. "Lisa, can you help us get a hard point?"

"Of course," she replied. "I'll be right back," she informed her companions.

Nanao glanced shyly at Shunsui, expecting a flirtatious comment. Instead, he smiled happily at her. "So my Nanao-chan is trying something new?" She bit her lip. "You'll love it. Juu-chan is a wonderful rope top. Do you mind if I watch?"

She tensed, not sure she wanted her captain to see her mostly naked. But then, his best friend was the one tying her up. "It's fine," she said softly.

He flashed her a broad grin. "Well, go have fun!"

Nanao followed Juushiro and Lisa to the other room, where Lisa led them to a small platform in a corner. "This should work," she declared. Disappearing into a storeroom, she reappeared with a tall ladder. The vizard efficiently strung a nylon line from a hook in the ceiling down to a metal four-leaf clover, pulling hard to test its stability. "Have fun!"

Juushiro yanked on the ring approvingly. "Thank you!" he called as she left. Nanao looked around the room curiously. Thuds and gasps echoed from two girls tied to x-shaped crosses, being beaten with leather floggers. A slender guy with nipple piercings swung upside-down on the stage at the end of the room, under the care of a leather-clad lady in high heels. The cage held a pair of women wrapped in light blankets, with rope scattered on the floor around them. Nanao gasped as fire flared, dancing over the back of a gasping man lying on a table before being smothered.

"What are they doing?" she asked incredulously.

Juushiro looked over. "Oh, fire play. It doesn't actually burn him, though it certainly feels very hot. The top uses special oils to coat the skin."

Nanao shuddered. "No thanks." Another burst of light made her flinch slightly. The color was slightly too close to that of a cero for her to be entirely relaxed.

The pale shinigami smiled comfortingly at her. "Would you like a blindfold?" he offered. "It would cut down on the distractions and make it easier to enjoy yourself."

"Please," she responded immediately.

Juushiro took her hands and drew her down to sit in seiza on the mats in front of him. "Relax," he ordered softly. "Everything will be fine." He pulled out several bundles of rope, laying them beside him. "This is jute; it's a natural fiber rope." A deft movement sent the rope uncoiling rapidly. He took her arm and ran the rope across her skin, allowing her to feel the slightly scratchy texture. "How does that feel?"

Nanao shivered. "Good," she replied softly.

Juushiro's green eyes darkened slightly. "Then let's get started." He pulled off his jacket, folding it neatly and setting it aside. The thin fabric of his shirt clung to his slender body. After a few seconds of searching, he pulled a long length of fabric out of the bag. Rising, he brought Nanao to her feet as well. "Remember, tell me if you start to feel uncomfortable," he said in her ear. He spun her around so her back was to his chest, deft fingers brushing her bangs out of her face. She let her eyes fall shut, and felt the softness of the blindfold fall across her eyelids. Juushiro tied the cloth firmly around her head, enveloping her in darkness.

She tensed as she felt his fingers at the zipper on the side of her dress, biting her lip nervously. "Nanao?" he asked quietly.

"It's fine," she replied, forcing her muscles to relax. Cool air hit her skin as the fabric fell away. Without the ability to see, all her other senses felt hyper-alert. Juushiro ran gentle fingers down her arms, and she leaned back into his chest. His hands felt warm on her skin as they traced comforting patterns. She let her head fall back, and felt his breath ghosting through her hair.

A brief moment of cold, and she felt rope settle over her chest. Juushiro encircled her ribs with the jute, cinching it firmly, then added wraps above her breasts. His touch was careful, smoothing out the rope as it dragged across her skin. More rope formed a vee in between her breasts. She shivered. All of her attention was focused on the paths Juushiro was tracing. Heat followed his fingertips, making her skin feel as if it was on fire.

He brought his hands down to her hips, moving around to kneel in front of her. The rope settled low on her hipbones, pulling tight enough to leave marks. A gentle nudge urged her to spread her legs; she did, wobbling slightly on her heels. He caught her, steadying her until she caught her balance again. "How are you doing?" he asked in a hushed tone.

She smiled. "Good. It feels good," she murmured softly.

He chuckled. "Good." Wrapping the rope around her upper thighs, he ran experienced fingers along the knots. Apparently satisfied, he began wrapping the rope in a ladder down her leg. Nanao rested her hands on his shoulders, toying with several strands of his silky hair. He huffed a laugh against her skin. "Alright, are you ready to go into the air?" She nodded. He stood, running his hands up her leg. "The main lines will go here and here," he explained. "Most of your weight will be on your hips and ribs. First, though…" He knelt back down and quickly unbuckled her heels. "This will make it much more pleasant." She stepped out of the shoes, feeling squishy mats under her toes.

When Juushiro stood again, moving away briefly, she almost whimpered at the loss of heat. He returned quickly, and she felt him threading the rope through the harness on her chest. The ring above them clinked as he threaded the rope through, creating a pulley. "This may put you a bit off-balance," he warned as the rope tugged, pulling at the side of her chest. She leaned outwards slightly, lifting her arms above her head. Juushiro ran a hand down her side before attaching another rope to the hip harness. "Ready?" She nodded an affirmative. He braced a hand on her hip and pulled sharply. She gasped as she swung into the air, feeling the rope constrict around her hips. Quickly, the pale shinigami threaded the rope through the loops around her leg, distributing her weight more evenly. Yet another rope looped around her other ankle, pulling it into the suspension as well. "How does it feel?"

Nanao took stock of her body. There was a bit of pain around her hips and chest, but it was negligible. She felt almost weightless as she dangled there. "I like it," she sighed.

Juushiro ran his nails lightly up her spine, and she arched into the touch. "You're a natural rope bottom, I think," he murmured. "Does anything hurt?"

"There's pressure on my hips and ribs, but it doesn't exactly hurt," she replied.

"Remember, let me know if anything starts to hurt," he reminded her. "Preferably before it actually starts to be painful, so I can get you down comfortably."

"I will," she promised.

He stroked her back teasingly, making her lean her head back for more. "Want to swing around?" he offered. When she agreed, he gave her a gentle push. Blood rushed to her head as she spun in a circle, making her laugh. Another push sent her swinging forward and backwards, still spinning. Being completely unable to see made the motion both dizzying and exhilarating. "Try pulling in your arms and legs," Juushiro suggested.

She pulled her legs into her chest and wrapped her arms around them. The immediate increase in speed as she whirled around made her squeak and giggle. She could feel Juushiro's fingers brushing her skin every time she revolved. He continued to push her gently, keeping her in motion until she gasped for breath. "Still good?" he inquired softly as she began to slow.

"It's amazing!" she giggled. Her head was spinning, and her skin was on fire, and she'd never felt better. Everything felt fluffy, like her mind had been dipped in cotton candy.

Juushiro ran his nails down her spine, harder this time, and she gasped. He repeated the motion, and she practically purred. She could feel the heat of his abdomen through the thin shirt he wore, pressed against her ass, so she wiggled against him. The sudden move made him breathe in sharply. He chuckled lowly, dragging his fingers in random patterns on her back and shoulders. They brushed against her throat, and it was her turn to inhale. She threw her head back in a silent plea for more, and he laughed. "You like that?"

"Yeah," she breathed.

"You look so gorgeous like this," he murmured, encircling her throat with his hand. She gasped, and whined when his fingers moved away. They traced delicate spirals lower, over her collarbone and the upper curves of her breasts, then skipped down to her flat stomach. She squeaked, muscles jumping involuntarily. "Ticklish?"

"Don't you dare tell Shunsui," she warned hazily.

He laughed. "I won't." He threw a warning glance at his lover, who was watching silently. Shunsui smirked, but nodded in agreement. He didn't want to spoil this moment for his Nanao-chan. She looked stunning, suspended and flushed with excitement. Her creamy skin bore little red marks where Juushiro had drawn patterns with his nails. Watching his lover play was always a treat, and for him to be playing with his Nanao-chan was far better. _Maybe she could be_ our _Nanao-chan_ , Shunsui mused, watching his lover tease his lieutenant.

Juushiro returned his attention to Nanao, who was smiling dreamily. She swung through the air lazily, arms resting under her breasts. He traced a line down her stomach, over her hips, and down her bound leg. She twitched under his fingers as he followed the path in reverse, moving around in front of her. "Still doing okay?" he asked softly.

"Great," she breathed happily. Her lips were parted and her cheeks flushed pink. Judging by her reiatsu, she was thoroughly immersed in subspace. He drew a tendril of his own reiatsu over her ribs, making her whimper. Another vine of energy wrapped gently around her neck, while he traced patterns on her sides with his fingers. She whined low in her throat, baring her neck and arching her back. Juushiro exhaled softly, reining in his reiatsu. It was far too tempting to run his fingers over her perky breasts or taste the delicate skin of her throat. Instead, he tangled his fingers in her long hair and pulled gently.

Nanao whimpered as the pale captain's reiatsu left her skin, but the tug against her hair made her gasp. "More?" she whispered, almost too softly to hear. Somehow, Juushiro must have guessed what she was saying, for he pulled a bit more forcefully. His other hand drew teasing patterns on her collarbone, just barely brushing her throat. She whimpered.

 _That was truly a delicious sound_ , Juushiro thought absently. He dragged a fingertip down her ribs, between her breasts, and she inhaled sharply. Releasing his grip on her hair, he moved to trace the ropes around her chest. There would be lovely rope marks on her soft skin once he untied her. Which, he realized, should probably be soon. "Ready to come down?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head reluctantly. "Already?"

"You've been up there for a while," he informed her gently.

She whined low in her throat, but nodded. "Okay." He began to undo the lines, starting with her ankle and moving upwards. Soon, she stood shakily on her feet, supported only by the chest line. "I'm going to undo the last line," he told her. "Can you stand on your own?"

She bit her lip. "Maybe?" He wrapped an arm around her waist, and she immediately buried her face in his shoulder. When he released the final line, she wobbled, but her grip around his chest kept her upright.

Juushiro knelt slowly, laying Nanao across his lap as he settled into a cross-legged position. She curled up against him, pressing her chest against his abdomen and capturing one of his hands, clinging onto it determinedly. He did his best to ignore the distracting softness against his skin as he pulled the ropes out of the way. "Nanao, I need to undo these ropes," he pointed out with amusement. "That's a little hard to do when you won't let me go."

"Don't care," Nanao muttered. Juushiro chuckled. He could undo some of the ropes one-handed, so he began working on those. She snuggled closer, and he tried not to notice the way her breasts pressed against him. Looking up, he spotted Shunsui mouthing "Lucky!" at him, and rolled his eyes.

The ropes on her legs were simple to untie, but her position made it nearly impossible to undo either the hip or the chest harness. "Nanao, sweetheart, I really need my hand back," he informed softly. Reluctantly, she uncurled to a sitting position, and he knelt behind her.

As the ropes slowly came off her chest, Nanao shivered. Juushiro was a firm, warm presence at her back as the rope dragged slowly across her skin. It stung a bit, but the leisurely glide felt amazing, as did Juushiro's talented hands on her skin. She sank bonelessly back against him, listening to the beating of his heart. The pulse of his reiatsu surrounded her in a comforting blanket. "It's fuzzy," she murmured happily.

"What's fuzzy?" Juushiro asked quietly, urging her to her knees so he could undo the hip harness.

"Your reiatsu. It's fuzzy and warm." Nanao thought it was a perfectly logical statement, but the captain laughed in surprise.

"I've never heard it described like that before," he chuckled.

She nodded firmly. "It's like a blanket." She twitched as the hip harness fell away and Juushiro's hands left her hips. Untying the blindfold, he slowly pulled the fabric off of her eyes. She blinked at the sudden brightness. He wrapped his arms around her waist, cradling her against his chest, and ran his fingers through her hair. She let her head fall back, looking up into his face. "That was amazing," she sighed.

Juushiro smiled back at her. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

She looked at him anxiously. "Did you have fun?"

"Of course," he reassured her. "You make a very responsive rope bottom, as well as a gorgeous one." She blushed, opening her mouth to argue. He placed a finger over her lips and shook his head. "Don't say you're not beautiful. You're stunning."

She narrowed her eyes and nipped at his finger. "You're just saying that."

"Believe me, I'm not," he said honestly, slightly breathless from her unexpected action. She rolled her eyes, but curled up against him, burying her face in the crook of his arm. He stroked her back gently, petting her like a cat. No matter what she said, she was beautiful. He started coiling the rope, pausing every few seconds to run his fingers down the pale skin of her back. Truly gorgeous.

They remained like that for almost ten minutes before Nanao raised her head. Some of the dazed look had left her eyes, though she was still floating happily on an endorphin high. "Ukitake-san?" she asked quietly.

"You can call me Juushiro, you know," he told her softly. "What is it?"

She bit her lip. "Did you really enjoy that?"

He nodded firmly. "I did, and I would enjoy doing it again if you are interested."

She glanced away, cheeks pink. "I should probably get dressed now," she offered.

"You don't have to, though I suspect you'll be more comfortable that way," he agreed.

Nanao crawled off his lap, giving him an excellent view of her ass in the process, and pulled her dress over her head. "I'm not putting the heels back on, though," she said. "I'd probably break an ankle." She stood, smoothing her hands over nonexistent wrinkles. She looked around awkwardly, unsure what to do now.

Juushiro took her hand and led her out the first room, saying, "We can ask Lisa-san to get the get the drop line down." When they got to the couches, Shinji was nowhere to be seen, but Kensei and Lisa were chatting with Shunsui.

"How was it?" Lisa asked.

Nanao smiled. "It was awesome." Lisa cheered, clapping her hands.

"You looked incredibly hot, suspended up there," Shunsui told her, grinning mischievously. Nanao blushed. "Maybe my Nanao-chan would let me tie her up sometime?" he teased.

She rolled her eyes. "There's no way you could keep your hands to yourself."

He fluttered his eyelashes at her, making her snort with laughter. "I could if my Nanao-chan wanted me to," he promised.

"I sincerely doubt that," she replied lightly.

He gave her his best puppy-dog eyes. "What if Juu-chan is there to help and make sure I behave myself?" he suggested.

"You're incorrigible," she laughed. But she didn't actually say no.

"I'll take that as a maybe!" he exclaimed cheerfully. Nanao blushed harder.

Juushiro poked him. "Move over." Shunsui shifted, and the pale captain dropped down onto the couch. Since he still hadn't let go of Nanao's hand, she went with him, snuggling up against his side.

Shunsui smiled softly at the sight. "You know, you two look adorable like that," he pointed out. Juushiro chuckled, resting his head against his lover's shoulder. Shunsui smoothed down his long hair, enjoying the feel of the silky strands. Juushiro smiled softly, pulling Nanao into a more comfortable position in his lap.

"How are you feeling?" he asked Nanao gently.

She smiled up at him hazily. "My head feels fuzzy, and it kinda feels like I'm floating, but it feels good." In fact, it felt more than just good, but she wasn't sure how to explain that. It made her want to curl up against Juushiro and purr like a contented cat. She buried her face against his shoulder, sighing happily.

Shunsui chuckled. "That's how you're supposed to feel," he explained. Judging by Nanao's misty smile and the placid giddiness in her reiatsu, Juushiro had done an excellent job bringing her into subspace.

Lisa grinned at the trio. "So, Shunsui-kun, how about you leave these two to aftercare and come with me to do that scene you promised?"

"Of course, lovely Lisa-chan!" Shunsui replied grandly. "Juu-chan, a kiss for good luck?"

"What, am I that scary?" Lisa teased.

Juushiro chuckled, giving his lover a gentle kiss. "You know you are," he informed Lisa laughingly. The vizard bared her teeth in a fierce grin before breaking into peals of laughter.

Shunsui stood, brushing a hand over Juushiro's shoulder. "Nanao-chan? Wish me good luck?" he asked.

She tilted her head to one side, eying her captain with an unreadable expression. Lisa's advice drifted through her mind, bringing a mischievous smile to her lips. Shunsui's eyes widened as she disentangled herself from Juushiro, reiatsu sparkling playfully. Before she could lose her nerve, she brushed her lips against Shunsui's mouth, pulling back after a split second.

Shunsui stared at her incredulously, one hand raised to his lips. Lisa, Juushiro, and Kensei snickered at his thunderstruck expression. Nanao dropped back onto the couch, hiding her flaming face against Juushiro's chest. Kajishizu purred approvingly in the depths of her mind.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this speechless!" Lisa giggled. She grabbed his unresisting hand, tugging him towards the play room. "I think you broke him," she called gaily over her shoulder as she steered the starstruck captain through the doorway.

Nanao groaned against Juushiro's shirt, still blushing furiously. "That was a bad idea, wasn't it," she muttered.

The pale shinigami ran his fingers through her hair. "Do you regret it?" Nanao shook her head. In fact, she had quite enjoyed perplexing her captain. Kajishizu snickered. _Admit it, you enjoyed more than that_ , she whispered. Nanao flushed hotly. _Okay, maybe_ , she conceded in the privacy of her own mind.

Juushiro, oblivious to her internal debate, stroked her hair soothingly. "Then no, it wasn't a mistake." He chuckled ruefully. "Contrary to how he pretends to act, he does actually listen to people. If you do decide it was a mistake, he won't press you on it." Nanao mumbled something incomprehensible into his shirt. "Sorry, what was that?"

"And if I don't decide that?" Nanao asked, slightly more understandably. Rather than look Juushiro in the eyes, she focused her attention on the beige carpet beyond his feet.

"Well, then, I suggest you have a conversation with him," Juushiro urged. Nanao could feel his curiosity bubbling in his reiatsu, but he politely refrained from questioning her.

She sighed, snuggling closer. "You're amazing," she murmured softly. Juushiro just chuckled and kept petting her.


	26. Schrodinger's Cat

**Author's Note:**

This last week has been quite stressful, and the stress isn't going to go away anytime soon, so updates may come a bit slower. I'll try to stick to my normal schedule, but please be patient if I can't quite manage it! I've got my thesis defense to prepare, as well as a number of midterms, term papers, and other assignments, so writing is unfortunately not a top priority. If any of my readers are in college, here's a bit of advice: don't take 19 credit hours in a semester! Trust me, it's a bad decision, even if they seem like they should be fun classes.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 26: Schrodinger's Cat**

The girls were back again, giggling and chattering like magpies. The dust-colored one – the one Hiyori had named Sparrow – had returned as well, though she still hovered on the outside of the group. Her eyes shone with a blend of worry and eagerness; she was trying too hard to fit in, Hiyori decided. The gaggle laughed at something one of the girls said, and Sparrow laughed too, but it was a bit too late, a bit too forced. When the other girls started wandering away, she followed, arms wrapped tight around her belly.

Hiyori's inner hollow cackled. _Easy prey_ , it announced gleefully. She batted it down with a thought, and it receded to the back of her mind, still snickering. Honestly, she didn't know why it still bothered to try to irritate her. It wasn't as if she wasn't irritated enough already. The other vizards had gone to the club last night, and hadn't returned until the early hours of the morning. She had been woken up by their noisy return, and resented the lack of sleep, as well as the tedium of her current assignment. _Why can't Kisuke just find this dealer, already?_ She knew it was an unrealistic demand – the scientist was doing everything he could – but she didn't care.

Hiyori kicked at the sun-warmed dirt, wishing she could remove the damn bracelet Urahara had given her. There was something out there, tingling at the edge of her awareness, but she couldn't get a clear fix on it. It wasn't Sparrow, though the girl's droplets of spirit energy also flavored the breeze. No, something more malevolent lurked underneath the serene calm of the warm day, tainting the air with a bitter stench that wavered maddeningly in and out of sensing range.

Hiyori ran her fingers roughly through her hair, glaring at the ground as she hunted for the thing. But the incantations that wrapped her mind in wool prevented her from getting a good grip on it, and it slipped away from her grasp. She sighed and pulled her senses back into her body, scanning the park with narrowed eyes. Nothing among the chattering schoolgirls and strolling families caught her eye. She heaved another sigh and rolled her eyes. _Might as well follow Sparrow-girl, seeing as there's nothing else going on_ , she decided. _Maybe, if I'm lucky, the dealer will be attracted to her reiatsu_. She shrugged. _What was her name again? Naomi? Natsumi? No, Nezumi, that was it_. Sparrow was easier to remember.

The vizard rose lazily, dusting off her gray miniskirt. The group of schoolgirls had sprawled out in the shade of a grove of trees, uncaring of the way their skirts rode up around their thighs. _Probably hoping some guy comes along and offers them a 'date'_ , Hiyori thought cynically. She strolled down the path, affecting a brainless smile, until she reached a tree not too far away from the group. There, she pulled out her cell phone, pretending to ignore the girls completely while straining her ears to catch their conversation.

"So, Mika, that was a great party last night," a girl with fluorescent pink nail polish gushed.

Mika, a brunette with lavender stripes dyed into her mane, simpered. "Oh, thank you, Hana! I'm glad you enjoyed it!"

The girl with aquamarine hair – Hiyori thought her name was Keiko – giggled. "It was stellar!" She poked Nezumi. "Didn't you have fun?"

Nezumi nodded, smiling brightly. "I did! Thank you, Mika, for hosting such a lovely party."

They gossiped about the party long enough for Hiyori to get thoroughly sick of it – not that that took too long. Honestly, why would anyone care about Mariko's new dress, or who Aono had hooked up with? But these girls seemed to find such trivial topics fascinating. Hiyori snorted. When she'd been their age, she'd been working hard at the Academy, trying to master kido and zanjutsu and hakuda. There'd been no time for foolish daydreams and a never-ending fountain of gossip.

She perked up her ears, however, when she heard Keiko say conspiratorially, "So you know how I went on a second date with that weird guy from the club, right?"

"The one who made all those pervy comments, you mean?" Hana supplied.

Keiko nodded. "That's the one. He really needs a better color for his hair, bubblegum pink is simply not attractive on a straight guy!" she giggled. "Anyway, he gave me a special present before I left, and said I should share it with all of my friends."

"Ooh, what is it?" Mika asked excitedly. Keiko fished around in her purse and pulled out a handful of something Hiyori couldn't see from her angle. She cautiously shifted a bit closer as the girls leaned in.

"So what is it?" Hana inquired curiously.

"The best trip you'll ever have," Keiko responded confidently. "At least, that's what he said. Want to try it?" She waved her hand in the air, and Hiyori caught a glimpse of a plastic bag clenched in her fist.

"That doesn't sound like a good idea," Nezumi replied cautiously. "You don't even know what it is." She shrank back from the group, rocking from foot to foot like a deer about to bolt. Hiyori's hollow perked up at that, and the vizard shoved it back down. _Shut up_ , she ordered silently, before it could say anything. _This might be important. Besides, she's not your prey, nor will she ever be_. Hiyori suspected that the hollow merely wanted to get a rise out of her; the creature didn't actually consider humans fair game. They didn't have enough spirit energy to be worth hunting.

Hiyori turned her attention back to the girls as Keiko snapped indignantly, "Sure I do." She affected a superior mien. "It's called moon flowers. He gave me a hit of it, and trust me," she wriggled sensuously, "it feels incredible."

"I don't know," Nezumi started dubiously, only to be cut off by Mika.

"Come on, what's the harm?" the brunette asked, holding out her palm to Keiko. Hiyori snorted silently, now able to see the plastic baggies containing pale lavender crystals in the girl's hand. _Didn't anyone ever teach you not to take candy from strangers? That includes drugs too, idiots!_ It looked like Nezumi was the only one of them with a bit of common sense, and even she was slowly crumpling under peer pressure. When Keiko handed out the baggies, urging her friends to spill the crystals into their mouths, she reluctantly accepted one as well. With much laughter and sidelong glances, the group lapped up the drug.

Hiyori rolled her eyes, amazed at the sheer stupidity of young humans. _They'll regret this when they wake up with the headache from hell_ , she projected grimly. Then she froze as her inner hollow roared to life with a vengeance. _Beware of the flowers from the moon, remember?_ it snarled. Hiyori jerked upright. _Moon flowers. Flowers from the moon. Shit!_ She sprinted over to the group just as the last girl crumpled bonelessly to the ground. Disregarding Urahara's orders completely, she stripped off the bracelet in one smooth motion, sinking to the ground next to Nezumi. The girl's lips were rapidly turning blue as her pulse fluttered like a trapped bird. Hiyori swore again, looking frantically around the group.

Now she could feel that tainted reiatsu again, though it was incredibly weak. Not growing any stronger, either, which was one small blessing. _Idiot, moronic, spoiled brats! You morons poisoned yourselves!_ Hiyori screamed mentally as she tried to recall centuries-old first aid lessons. Nezumi's heartbeat was growing weaker, though the other girls, while catatonic, still breathed steadily. None showed any signs of transformation yet. But Hiyori feared that was only a matter of time.

Lacking any better option, Hiyori blasted her reiatsu at the sky. That would bring the other vizards running faster than a cell phone call could. If it exposed her location to the creator of the doom beasts, she couldn't bring herself to care. She felt answering spikes throughout the city, and knew help was on the way.

"Just hang on," she muttered, placing both hands over Nezumi's heart. "They can heal you if you just hold on a bit longer." She wasn't nearly as sure of that as she sounded, but Captain Unohana had emphasized the importance of keeping a calm tone when talking to an injured victim. So she murmured similar platitudes as Nezumi writhed under her touch, spirit energy pulsing in time with the rapid drumming of her heart. Weird magenta threads slithered over her spirit, withering into nothingness as they tried and failed to gain a foothold. But more kept sprouting from her heart. Hiyori tried to wrap her own reiatsu around the girl, soothing her the way she would calm an injured shinigami. Nezumi's breath stuttered as Hiyori's energy flowed around her, and her muscles relaxed. For a long minute, the vizard wondered if Nezumi would pull through – her reiatsu smoothed out, and the magenta threads slowly died away. Then, without any warning at all, the schoolgirl's life force guttered and vanished.

 _What the fuck?_ Hiyori stared down at her hands in blank astonishment. Even if the girl had died, that shouldn't have happened nearly so abruptly. There should still be some trace of her remaining.

But there was nothing.

No plus soul, no butterfly winging its way to the Soul Society, not even a fragment from a broken soul chain. In all her years as a soul reaper, Hiyori had never seen anything like it. While the majority of souls went straight to the Soul Society without the intervention of a shinigami, their energy didn't just disappear in the blink of an eye.

A light touch on her shoulder made Hiyori jump as she barely restrained herself from lashing out. She babbled out a few words to explain the situation, and the surrounding shinigami blanched. Juushiro, Hachi, and Tessai quickly leaped into action, spreading a stabilizing net of healing kido over the four girls moaning on the ground, while Urahara studied Nezumi's cooling body. "This… is not good," he said softly, eyes shadowed under his hat. "You said she had the most spirit energy out of all of them?" Kensei and Shinji landed behind him, Mashiro trailing with a bored expression.

Hiyori nodded. "Not much, but more than a normal human."

Urahara frowned. "How did these girls acquire the drug?"

The vizard shrugged helplessly. "One of them, the one with the blue hair, said she got it from one of her dates." She looked down, knitting her brows together. "The weird thing is, she said that he gave her a bit of it on their date, and that it felt great."

"Possibly her lack of spiritual pressure protected her from the worst affects?" Shinji speculated.

"Or maybe a very low dose doesn't have the same effect," Kensei suggested.

Urahara's expression remained neutral as he said, "Both are possible theories, though I believe the former is more likely. However, that doesn't explain why our mysterious scientist would hand out multiple bags of the drug to children who do not fit his target profile."

Hiyori glanced over at Keiko, gasping on the ground under the blue glow of Hachi's healing. "She said he told her to share it with her friends," she explained.

"Wait, who's he?" Mashiro asked curiously, wandering over to join them.

Kensei sighed, turning to his former subordinate. "Weren't you listening?" She shrugged cheerfully.

Hiyori bared her teeth at the flighty vizard. "Like I said earlier, the girls got the drug from some pink-haired man who that one went on a date with." She indicated Keiko, not noticing the way Urahara grew very still at her description.

Shinji cocked an eyebrow at the eccentric scientist. "What's up?" he asked conversationally.

Urahara fluttered his fan in front of his face. "Oh, nothing, nothing," he replied breezily.

"Uh-huh," Shinji retorted, unconvinced.

He was forestalled from pressing the matter further, however, when Tessai walked over. "Boss, you should come see this," he announced. The kido master led them over to Keiko's prone body, still swathed in a pale glow. "She, and the others, may be the first survivors of this drug," he explained quietly. "That we know about, anyway," he added before Urahara could interject something. "Their bodies are fairly traumatized, as if they'd suffered a major drug overdose, but it appears as though they have a good chance of survival. I suggest we call the mortal police and let them handle it from here."

Juushiro looked up, a faint sheen of sweat on his brow. "We've done all we can here; human medicine is more equipped than we are at treating such things." He exhaled heavily. "I believe Suzuki-san should be informed of this as well."

"Why? They're not dead, so why tell a coroner?" Mashiro inquired.

Hiyori practically growled at her. Seriously, couldn't she think logically for once? Her damn outfit was attracting weird looks too, and it made the short vizard uncomfortable.

Actually, they were all drawing more attention than she really wanted. The sudden appearance of a crowd of people in a semi-deserted park was bad enough, but the glowing hands and unconscious bodies? Not good at all. "Hey, idiot, you've got that memory modifier thing, right?" she demanded, poking Shinji in the side. He winced, giving her a put-upon expression, but nodded. "You should go use it, then, before the humans call their stupid newspapers or something."

Shinji looked around, just now noticing the onlookers that had gathered. "Right," he said hastily, pulling the pencil-sized device from a pocket. "On it."

He hurried off to deal with the curious crowd, and Mashiro squealed, "Ooh, what's that?" She swooped down to pick up a baggie of lavender crystals, mostly hidden under Keiko's body. Kensei plucked it from her hand as soon as she rose, staring at her incredulously. She pouted. "But Kensei, I wanted that," she whined.

"It's almost certainly the drug, moron," he barked. She looked abashed.

He tossed it to Urahara, who examined it with glee. "Wonderful find, everyone!" the scientist purred. "This should prove very useful."

 _Hopefully it'll explain what happened to you, kid_ , Hiyori thought, scowling at Nezumi's body. _Stupid or not, you shouldn't have had to die like that. And where are you now, anyway?_

* * *

It was cold. Far, far too cold for a day in the middle of spring, and dark to boot. She thought her eyes were open, but it was hard to tell. Not a single spark of light graced the room she was in.

Where was she, anyway? She couldn't remember anything. There had been a park, hadn't there? It had been sunny, she was sure of it. Sunny, and warm; the light breeze had felt good on her skin. And her friends had been there… right? It terrified her that she couldn't remember. What had happened to her? She tried to move her hand, and it dragged through the air like she was encased in some sort of gelatinous substance. Without any light, she couldn't even guess what time it was. Terror swelled in her heart, sending waves of dizziness through her body as she struggled to suppress miserable tears.

Nezumi forced her hands up, fighting against the substance that resisted the motion. She couldn't feel anything unusual in the air when she held still, but as soon as she tried to move, it wrapped around her in silky waves. She struggled to take a step forward, only to find that she couldn't move her feet at all.

She shuddered as realized that she couldn't even feel her feet, nor her legs. Her fingertips tingled slightly, reassuring her that her hands still existed, but the rest of her arms may as well have been amputated. Oddly, she felt no pain, just the constant freezing cold. _And even that seems to be fading_ , she realized with a sense of shock. _Wait. Why do I care about the temperature right now? I don't know where I am, or why I'm here, or what's going on, or anything!_ Panic burned through her veins, forcing her breath to hiss through a clenched throat. For long minutes, she hyperventilated, struggling against her invisible bonds. The more she twisted and turned, the tighter they clung, until she hung frozen in midair.

 _Please!_ she begged silently, unsure who she was talking to. _Don't let me die here! I don't want to die!_ She'd never see her sisters again, never get to hug her mother or talk to her father. _I'm only fourteen!_ she cried silently. She had wanted to go to college, become a fashion designer. Now she wasn't sure if she'd ever see daylight again. _I don't want to die!_

Eventually, adrenaline-fueled terror faded, leaving her muscles as limp as overcooked noodles. As she relaxed, the viscous substance loosened, until its presence faded from her skin. She heaved a sigh of relief, head spinning as a heady concoction of chemicals swam through her bloodstream. The slimy bonds felt like they had left oily trails on her skin, making her shudder. She took several shaky breaths, too exhausted and frightened to notice the complete stillness in the air.

After all, ghosts can't breathe.

Nor do they have a heartbeat, but Nezumi hadn't noticed that yet. Held in stasis by the magic that had ripped her spirit from her body, her soul continued to conform to her expectations. She felt like she was breathing, believed that she could hear her heartbeat, purely because she knew that had to be the truth. Spirits and magic didn't exist in the life of a fourteen-year-old schoolgirl.

That belief may have been the only thing shielding her from the true horror of the situation.

A door banged open, spilling white light into the room, and Nezumi flinched. A slender, pink-haired figure clothed in long white robes strode into the cavernous room, smirking. "Ah, you're awake. Wonderful." He walked unhurriedly over to Nezumi, leering at her appreciatively. Nezumi shrunk back, glancing around with wide, petrified eyes.

Everything was covered in a faint sheen of scintillating emerald, and it took her several long minutes to realize that she was immersed in an odd green fluid. All around her, cylinders full of the same liquid stood at even intervals around the room. Shadowy figures, hardly recognizable as human, floated within. It resembled a scene from a horror movie – and those never ended well for the protagonists. Nezumi suppressed an insane urge to giggle at the absurdity of it all. Hysterical terror lent her the strength to straighten up, glaring at the approaching figure.

He chuckled. "Oh, perfect. You are a lovely specimen, aren't you." He paced around her, head tilted to one side. "Let's see." He held a clipboard in one hand, scribbling notes as he studied her. Nezumi closed her eyes unhappily. _Maybe it's all a dream_ , she hoped desperately. _I'll wake up and I'll be home_.

As if he could hear her thoughts, the stranger laughed. "Poor little human. You don't even know what's going on, do you? Your race is so stupid, it's remarkable you've survived this long. We should have wiped you out long ago." He rested his fingers delicately on his forehead, above the odd glasses he wore. "No matter. Once the Soul Society is in tatters, we'll have free reign over this world, and wipe the scum from the earth." Nezumi wrapped her arms around herself, confused and terrified. _Please let this be a dream!_

The man stroked her cylinder possessively. "Yes, you'll be very useful for that." His expression turned inwards, and he smirked sadistically. "They'll never know what hit them. The first to die will be the fools who thought they could control me. Me!" He snickered. "They truly don't possess a drop of sense, do they?" He looked back at Nezumi. "Oh, pretty little child, you will be a weapon such as they've never imagined." Some primitive part of Nezumi shrank away from the naked truth in his voice.


	27. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

**Author's Note:**

Total sum of writing/editing over the last week:

43 pages of senior thesis

8 pages of term paper for psychology

8 pages of 'midterm' aka essay for sociology

20 pages of story for creative writing class

4,500 words for this chapter

So I hope you all enjoy it! This story is getting closer to the end; I suspect it won't be more than another ten chapters before it's over. Thank you to everyone who has left reviews on the chapters!

* * *

 **Chapter 27:** **No Good Deed Goes Unpunished**

Urahara turned the small bag of lavender crystals over in his hands, staring pensively off into space. He didn't need to run any tests to feel the malice emanating from the drug, though in time he would perform every experiment he could think of. He was grimly positive that he could recreate the concoction. But that wasn't what was bothering him. Though he'd brushed off Shinji's question, he couldn't avoid Yoruichi as easily, and she could tell that something was on his mind. So he had retreated to his lab, hoping to get his thoughts straight before she forced an explanation from him.

The former captain pressed a button on a small black remote, restarting the video playing on his computer screen. In it, Szayelaporro Granz, eighth espada, faced off against Mayuri Kurotsuchi, destroying his bankai with ease. The tall, thin espada laughed maniacally, boasting about his status as a perfect being. In the background, Uryu and Renji lay sprawled in the rubble, battered and nearly unconscious.

Kurotsuchi didn't know that he had this tape, and would have been furious to discover that he did. But the insane scientist always embedded recording devices in his lieutenant, and Urahara had never found a system he couldn't hack. It had been trivial to retrieve the footage of the battle during the massive cleanup efforts after the war.

On the screen, Szayel threw his head back, cackling soundlessly. Urahara didn't need to turn the sound on to confirm that the espada was thoroughly insane. _But he's supposed to be dead_. Urahara's jaw clenched as he studied the way Kurotsuchi impaled Szayel on his zanpakuto, snapping the blade off in the espada's ribs. Considering how many times Szayel had evaded death before that, it was the height of arrogance for Kurotsuchi to assume that such a blow would destroy him. _It's likely he had a way to neutralize poison inside his body_ , Urahara mused. _That would end the time dilation effect, and regeneration would take care of the rest. Or he possessed another way to survive_. Considering his 'Gabriel' ability, that would not have surprised Urahara in the slightest. _For all I know, he could have created a clone and hid it in his lab somewhere, and transferred his consciousness to it as he was dying_. The scientist frowned. _Of course, the only description I have is of a pink-haired man. It may not be Szayelaporro_.

Then again, all the facts fit. Szayel was brilliant. Sadistic, but a genius. He certainly possessed the technical knowledge to create a transformative drug. And with his status as the espada of madness, he had a special relationship with insanity – which would explain why all of the people who successfully transformed were mentally ill.

 _But what does he get out of it?_ From everything Urahara knew, the espada despised the other races. He would gladly slaughter every human in existence, but the drugs didn't do that. Urahara rewound the video, playing it at a quarter speed to watch the minute expression changes as Ashisogi Jizo slowly carved through Szayel's sternum. Incredulity, pain, and vicious fury chased themselves over the espada's face. But, right before Kurotsuchi turned away, Urahara spotted a glimmer of cold calculation underneath the loathing. _So_ , he thought triumphantly, _you did have a plan to escape. Have you come seeking revenge?_

Kurotsuchi's sadism had gotten the better of him again. In his desire to see his opponent suffer, he had inadvertently given him a chance to escape. _You never learn, do you, Mayuri?_ It has been that lust for pain which landed him in prison in the first place.

 _But that's not important at the moment_. Urahara froze the screen, tossing the remote onto the desk. Running a hand through his messy blond hair, he leaned back in his chair, eyes distant. If Szayel wanted revenge, there were far easier ways to accomplish it. Transforming random humans into monsters was simply not logical, and the eighth espada was a scientist. He may have been insane, but his actions had their own logic. A rather seductive logic, in fact, to the cold, calculating part of Urahara's mind that saw others only as test subjects.

 _So if this isn't about revenge, what is it about? Why turn humans into monsters?_ With a few clicks, Urahara pulled up a slideshow of images of the monsters. Laid out side by side, it was clear that the more recent doom beasts were sleeker and more streamlined than their earlier counterparts. They had sharper weapons, stronger armor, and fewer oversized appendages. In battle, they healed quicker and lasted longer before disintegrating. _He's improving the formula with every test_ , Urahara realized. _If he can create enough of these creatures, he could overrun the Seireitei before they all dissolved_. The carnage would be devastating. Ordinary soul reapers, lacking the power of the captains and vizards, would perish by the dozens. Urahara grimaced. _Now that, Szayelaporro would enjoy_. He would need to get the creatures into the Soul Society, of course, but that would hardly pose a problem to him.

They weren't ready quite yet, though, Urahara judged. They disintegrated too quickly unless they managed to absorb spirit energy, which in the human world was relatively scarce. In the Soul Society, however, spirit particles formed the building blocks of the world. A doom beast there might be essentially immortal.

Now that was information everyone should hear. Urahara grabbed the remote and pressed the key combination that slaved the gigantic tv in the other room to his computer. The monitor flickered as it assumed control, and he heard Yoruichi's exclamation of surprise and relief. Before she could come storming into his lab to demand an explanation, he called, "Dear, could you gather the vizards and the shinigami? Everyone needs to hear this." He could imagine her irritated expression, but he knew she'd comply. She was too curious to do otherwise, and helping him was faster than badgering him until he gave in.

* * *

"So that's the situation," Urahara concluded an hour later, gesturing at the image of Szayelaporro frozen on the screen. "I believe he intends to perfect the doom beasts and invade the Soul Society with them." The former captain grimaced. "It's only a theory, but it fits the evidence."

"Maybe," Shinji agreed cautiously, "but we don't have much of that."

Hiyori pushed away from the wall she had been lounging against. "You know what it doesn't explain?" She glared at Urahara when he didn't immediately respond. "Where did that girl's spirit go?" The scientist tilted his head, peering at her from under the brim of his hat, and she waved her hands impatiently. "You know, the girl who died? Nezumi was her name. The other kids are okay, but she's dead, and I didn't see her spirit go anywhere."

Urahara frowned, eyes narrowing. In theory, when a person died, their spirit either became a ghost or managed to travel to the Soul Society on their own. Both left obvious signs. A spirit couldn't simply vanish without a trace – it was physically impossible. Hiyori opened her mouth to speak again, and he held up a hand. She snapped her mouth shut with an angry look. He ignored the frustration in her reiatsu as he pulled the drug sample out of his pocket, spilling a bit into his palm.

"Kisuke…" Yoruichi began. He lifted a brow at her. She sighed resignedly. "Fine, go ahead."

Urahara tentatively probed at the crystals with his reiatsu, alert for any attempt to invade his body. Despite their innocuous look, they radiated hatred. An empty hunger latched onto his probe, struggling to absorb the droplets of energy that it contained. Though the pull was only a fraction of the strength of a doom beast, it still made Urahara wince. He carefully shielded the probe, feeding the void tidbits of energy so he could investigate it undisturbed.

It wasn't long before he found the complex set of spells residing deep in the crystalline matrix, waiting to be unlocked. _They're triggered by contact with blood_ , Urahara realized. _So when the drug is absorbed into the bloodstream, it begins the transfiguration sequence_. To the former captain's eyes, the spells resembled a cascade of interlocking molecules, tangled together into a convoluted, chaotic web. Even after the transformation completed, other spells lurked in wait. _The ones that absorb reiatsu from blood and kido are two of those. They're on repeating loops, so they can be triggered again and again. Brilliant_ , Urahara mused. _He set it up in such a way that there's only a nanosecond before they reset, and there are multiple spells contained in each crystal_. It appeared as though they duplicated as they grew, as well, spreading throughout the host cells like a cancer.

Some of the spell structure bore a resemblance to the Hogyoku, but much of it held a distinctly foreign feel. Shinigami kido followed the same basic patterns – these spells violated them. The regeneration loop in particular turned the normal rules into a pretzel. _No wonder they heal so quickly_ , Urahara marveled. _This is far beyond normal healing. It's actually rewriting growth at the cellular level, drawing from the absorbed energy and anything in the environment to fuel it. Fascinating!_ The spells mimicked an arrancar's regeneration capability, not a shinigami healing kido. _Probably based on Ulquiorra's regeneration, actually. Szayel would have had plenty of time to study that during Aizen's preparations for war_. Though Urahara had only seen the fourth espada briefly, Ichigo had given him a full report after the war. _I wonder if similar spells would be effective on soul reapers_ , the scientist thought curiously. It would make the Fourth's job much easier if they could rapidly regenerate their patients. _Though it may require an affinity for hollow energy, in which case it would only work on the vizards. Still, that could be very useful_.

"Focus," Yoruichi coughed. He looked up, wide-eyed, and she gave him an innocent look. She knew him far too well.

Chastened, Urahara delved deeper into the spell matrix. A set of contingency spells lurked beneath the transformation spells, designed to take over if the target lacked sufficient reiatsu to complete the metamorphosis. _Actually, no_ , Urahara realized. _They occur regardless. But they can abort the transfiguration if it's starting to fail_. The entire web resembled an elaborate computer program, full of if-statements, loops, and fail-safes. _Brilliant. How long did it take to create this?_ He couldn't help but marvel at the gorgeous intricacy of the spell matrix. Then Yoruichi coughed again. _Alright, alright_ , he thought wryly, returning his attention to the contingencies. Something about them made his skin crawl. The rest of the spells, though strange, followed natural patterns – these deliberately went against nature. _And they're tied directly into the soul of the target_.

 _They force the spirit out of its vessel before its time_ , Benihime commented soberly.

 _How do you know that?_ Urahara asked silently.

 _Is it important? It's the truth_ , she replied. _Look_. She sent him an image of a particular part of the weave, a tangled trajectory looping around itself with no visible end. Urahara frowned. _Peculiar_. Now that she had identified the relevant location, he could see how it cocooned the spirit in a kido web, removing it from the body and leaving a false soul in its place. _No wonder the doom beasts act on instinct alone. The intelligence driving their bodies is far less sapient than the soul candy that we use for our gigais, and soul candy isn't particularly smart. But what happens to the real soul?_

On a hunch, he burrowed deeper into the chaotic attractor. Buried deep within its depths was a deceptively simple spell similar to Tentei Kuura, but instead of transmitting messages, it compressed the soul into a data stream and sent it to a receiver. Presumably the recipient would then decompress the soul. _Nasty piece of work_.

"So, we may have a larger problem on our hands," Urahara reported, pulling himself out of the spell network. "The drug is designed to steal the spirit of its target and deliver it to somewhere unknown. I would assume that that location is Szayelaporro's base, but I cannot be sure."

Hiyori scowled, kicking the wall with a sandal-clad foot. "So?"

Urahara lowered his hat over his eyes. "There are many things he could do with a collection of human souls, none of them good. At the simplest level, the spirit energy contained in a fresh soul bound against their will could be rendered into a bomb sufficient to blow up a large portion of this city." The vizards broke into muttered conversations at his announcement. The noise level rose as the arguments grew more heated, until Nanao whistled shrilly.

Silence fell as they all regarded her incredulously. "Panicking is pointless," she stated firmly. She turned to Urahara. "Can we trace the souls back to the espada?"

Urahara's eyes narrowed as he pondered the question. "No," he decided finally. "It's encrypted, for lack of a better term. The spells here do not 'know' where they are sending the spirit; the receiver spells must draw the souls in."

"Like magnets," Juushiro surmised. Urahara nodded, and the pale captain's eyes narrowed. "In that case, there should be a detectable signature from that pull. Can you track that?"

Tessai stepped forward. "Boss, we can modify some of the doom beast detectors to trace these spells. They've got the sensitivity."

"Or," Urahara returned, "create a new array of detectors. I believe that would be the better option. We still need the current detectors." _Just in case Szayel's trials are incomplete_. He didn't want to miss a single transformation – it could be the one that gave them the key piece of data. _Or the one that wrecks half the city before we catch up to it_.

Tessai shrugged. "We didn't use all of the detectors we created; we've still got a number of them in the basement. And making more would not be hard."

"So what can we do?" Juushiro asked sensibly.

Urahara turned to him. "Right now, remain here. I'll have errands for many of you soon, as we may need various components. If all goes well, we should have a fleet of sensors by tomorrow morning."

Juushiro nodded, turning to the others. "In that case, I believe dinner is in order. Any preferences?" He glanced around the room at the vizards, who shrugged or waved indifferent hands.

Tessai frowned at him. "Do not mess up my kitchen, please."

Juushiro smiled back. "I won't, I promise. Do you want to help cook?" he offered, sensitive to Tessai's protectiveness over his domain.

The former kido corps commander shook his head regretfully. "I should help Kisuke-san in the lab. However, Jinta and Ururu will assist you." He gave the children a stern look, forestalling Jinta's imminent protest.

Ururu bowed, a pink blush blooming on her cheeks. "Of course, Ukitake-san." Jinta just scowled, but nodded his head when Tessai lifted an eyebrow in silent admonition.

Shunsui volunteered to help cook as well, while Urahara requisitioned Nanao and Hachi to help build the sensors. The rest of the vizards spread out through the shoten. Love and Rose staked out the rooftop, watching for the inevitable hollows attracted to the kido workings. Mashiro declared that she would fetch blankets for everyone from the warehouse, despite Urahara's plentiful supply of guest bedding; an irritated Kensei followed her to ensure she didn't get herself hurt. It was an even chance whether the flighty vizard would actually remember to get blankets, or would forget her errand entirely and wander off on her own. With possible doom beasts on the prowl, Kensei wasn't about to let his former subordinate – however annoying – get caught alone by one. Lisa watched them go with a faint smirk before diving into one of her manga, while Hiyori vanished into the back rooms of the shop on an errand of her own. She snapped at Shinji when he asked if she wanted company, and he sighed.

Shunsui watched the exchange with amusement. "She's like a gator," he commented. "Bites your head off for any little thing."

Shinji groaned dramatically. "At least you haven't had to deal with her for the past hundred years."

"I can see how that would be challenging," Juushiro replied sympathetically.

Shinji rubbed a hand over his face. "There were times when I'm surprised we didn't all murder each other," he admitted wearily. "Being cooped up with the same tiny group of people for decades is a recipe for disaster."

Shunsui eyed him sideways. "Would you ever want to come back to the Soul Society? It'd get you some space, at least." He didn't want to push the issue, but he would welcome the presence of the vizards. The world was changing, and there was no room for outmoded prejudices in the new society.

The blond vizard shrugged uncomfortably. "I doubt it. Yamamoto doesn't like us, and most of the shinigami probably think we're monsters. It wouldn't be an easy transition." He spun his cap lazily on his finger, studiously avoiding Shunsui's eyes.

"No, but you could do a lot of good," Juushiro interjected. "You should think about it." Like his partner, Juushiro would embrace the return of the vizards with open arms. He privately suspected that most of the current captains would, as well, as would a number of the seated officers. While the ordinary shinigami might fear the vizards for a while, they would get over their trepidation soon enough.

Shinji snorted. "Sure." He rolled his eyes, lips twisted in a bitter expression, before changing the subject. "Now what's your plan for dinner?"

Before the pale captain could answer, a loud boom rocked the shop. Smoke drifted up through the floor, followed by Urahara's voice yelling, "Not to worry, no one is hurt!"

Shunsui chuckled. "And so it begins. Do you think we'll have a shop left by tomorrow?"

"I hope so," Juushiro replied dubiously.

* * *

Dire predictions notwithstanding, everyone was in one piece when the first rays of sun broke over the horizon. Nanao rubbed burning eyes as she placed the last miniscule detector in its capsule. "Number fifty complete," she called to Urahara.

Dark circles under the blonde's eyes were the only sign of his exhaustion. He smiled cheerily at her, accepting the last chip. "Very good job. Thank you for your assistance, Nanao-san." He sifted through the basket of sensors, eyeing them critically. Each one resembled a tiny circuit board, impregnated with powerful kido spells. "Now we just need to place them around town."

"Boss, how do you suggest we do that?" Tessai asked, concealing a yawn. "If we don't conceal them somehow, people will probably be suspicious. But if we're trying to hide them, that'll take time, and be suspicious as well."

"We also need to be sure that Szayelaporro doesn't notice what we're doing," Hachi pointed out.

Nanao bit her lip. "Camouflage?" she suggested tentatively. "Wear disguises when we're placing them, and hide the chips in plain sight?"

Urahara's eyes lit up. "Perfect!" he enthused. "Make them look like bits of trash, or something that belongs there. I like it." He smiled. "And I know the perfect places for them to go."

* * *

Shunsui, dressed like a construction worker and swaying drunkenly, dropped an empty bottle in the gutter next to one of the most popular bars in Kabukicho. The glass shattered, sending brown fragments spraying across the street. He regarded it with bemusement for a few seconds, then staggered on, much to the amusement of several women sweeping the street in front of an exotic nightclub. They didn't notice the bottle cap that rolled into a pothole, or the minuscule chip on the underside of the cap that began transmitting data as soon as Shunsui left the area.

Rose strolled past a busker with a flute, pausing to listen to a skillful rendition of Mozart's Concerto in G major. When the woman drew the music to a close with a flourish, he applauded politely and tossed a handful of change in her case. She gave him a saucy grin and launched into a breakneck version of Fiddler's Green, a playful Irish jig that set toes tapping among the small crowd that had gathered around her. Rose smiled appreciatively, staying for a few more tunes before moving on after one last glance at the silvery coins that glittered in the sunlight.

Juushiro, coughing convincingly, sat in the waiting room of Hiroo Ebisu Hospital. Between bouts, he chatted with the bored nurse on duty, charming her completely. When he asked for a glass of water after a particularly nasty coughing fit, she dimpled and left her desk to fetch one. While her back was turned, he slipped a chip under the tall stacks of paperwork. Considering the mess of forms scattered all over her desk, no one would reach the bottom of that particular stack for years.

Hiyori, smirking gleefully, paid another visit to the park where Nezumi and her friends had congregated. She plastered an advertisement for Urahara's shop directly over a poster for a nearby telephone club, regarded it critically, then pulled another advertisement out of her bag. Soon Urahara's smiling face graced every flat surface near the park, and the delicately-worded ads for prostitutes were nowhere to be seen. If the shoten logo gleamed slightly more than ordinary paper and ink could account for, no one would notice or care.

Nanao returned to Shinjuko Garden, seeking out Tanaka once again. The old man was dozing in the sun as she approached, but willingly sat up as she explained that she'd found a job as a secretary, and wouldn't be coming back. When she pressed a little jade statue of a cat into his hands, he teared up and wished her the best of luck with everything.

Urahara paid Suzuki-san another visit, delivering the results of the myriad tests he'd performed on the mysterious drug. Though she scolded him for having dropped another body in her lap, she was delighted by his findings. Most of them meant nothing to a mortal, but the coroner appreciated any information she could get. While she carefully catalogued the sample – neutered of its most potent properties – Urahara dropped one of his tiny chips onto her computer. Specially modified to infiltrate any electronic system, it extended microscopic wires and burrowed into the depths of the laptop. From there, he would have access to every byte of information on the hard drive.

Ururu and Jinta got into a shouting match in the middle of Nishinari Park – an arcane argument over the rules of the ball game they'd been playing. In the end, Ururu was sobbing, Jinta looked awkwardly triumphant, and the tennis ball had been lost in the weeds. They headed for home, still squabbling, and left it lying there forlornly.

Lisa returned to Kabukicho in her guise as a prostitute, prowling its glittering environs in search of the girls she'd met in her brief time on the streets. She found them clustered outside a bar, their finery looking tawdry in the fading daylight. A quick bargaining session later, she was the proud owner of a moth eaten handbag, and two of the girls sported new jewelry. If they ran into Szayelaporro or one of his drug-bearing minions (assuming he had any), Urahara would know.

Kensei muscled his way into an underground fighting ring to join the hordes of spectators baying for blood. Sneering at the amateur moves of the current fighters, he traded a handful of coin for a cheap beer. Though his hollow urged him into the ring, he resisted the desire – none of the booze-soaked combatants would last more than a couple moves against him, and he knew it. Once he drained the beer, he stalked out, brushing against the crooked handrail as he strode up the stairs. Behind him, a crack in the wood glittered.

Love returned to the supermarket where he had been attacked. Though Urahara had dealt with the bloodstains, a nasty reiatsu taint still lingered, flavoring the air with the reek of rotten blood. Love grimaced and dropped a crushed can into the gutter, where it joined the other detritus. As he hurried out of the parking lot, the chip hidden in the can joined its siblings in the growing network.

Mashiro, behaving unusually sober, went for a long run on the trails near Nishinari Park. Though she kept her speed down to human norms, she still managed to attract admiring male attention. Her typical white jumpsuit – skin-tight and emphasizing all of her curves – ensured that. Whenever she was unobserved, she let a silvery bead fall from a string in her hand to land in the overgrown grass. By the end of the ten-mile circuit, approximately twenty sensors formed a miniature array of detectors, capable of precisely triangulating any signal they could detect.

Yoruichi assumed her feline form to return to the apartment complex where they had found the first real clue – Jamie Ito's pocket watch. The door to the fire escape still swung drunkenly on its hinges, bullet holes an ugly spray in the metal. Yoruichi used a surreptitious bit of shunpo to leap to the lowest platform, padding up the stairs. Urahara had rigged a false collar around her neck; she inserted a paw under it and delicately tugged it off. Disconnecting the apparently-cheap name tag only took a few seconds. She pushed the tag under the door with a paw and surveyed it with satisfaction.

Shinji, cap set at a rakish angle, strolled down an alleyway in the worst part of town. Whistling cheerfully, he snickered to himself as local toughs began to casually congregate – a fight would help him work off some of his nerves. However, a brawl would probably draw too much attention to him. So he slipped his hands out of his pockets, dropping an empty gum packet to the ground, and loosened the leash on his hollow slightly. The thugs, no fools, recognized a bigger predator than themselves, and faded back into the brickwork.

Back in Urahara's lab, Hachi and Tessai linked up every sensor and communicator, hooking them into the pre-existing web of detectors. The kido masters worked tirelessly to fine-tune and debug the system in preparation for its full launch.

At last, every hidden sensor was placed. The network hummed to life with a groan, flashing into existence on the monitors in the lab. Now there was nothing to do but wait.


	28. Deal with the Devil

**Author's Note:**

I know most of you want more Shunsui/Nanao/Juushiro; here's a little bit. More is coming in the next chapter, I promise! I've found out that I'm terrible at writing romance; it never flows well and I tend to avoid doing it when possible. In future stories, that's something I'll work on. If there are other things you want to see, either in this story or in subsequent ones, let me know!

* * *

 **Chapter 28:** **Deal with the Devil  
**

"You three need to put these on," Urahara informed the shinigami after they all returned to the shoten after sunset. He stood in front of an open senkaimon and carried a trio of silver bracelets. "We need to make Szayel think that you've returned to the Soul Society. I predict that this will cause him to speed up his plans, whatever they may be."

"Those are the bracelets that suppress reiatsu?" Juushiro surmised.

Urahara nodded. "Yes. He will surely detect the opening of the senkaimon; if your spiritual pressures vanish afterwards, it would be logical to assume that you three have left."

"Why is this important?" Nanao asked, puzzled. "If you can track the spells to his lair, why do we need him to move up his timeline? Won't that be more dangerous for us, if he perfects the doom beasts?" She glanced awkwardly at Shunsui. They hadn't had a minute to talk after the night at the club, and butterflies filled her stomach whenever she was near him.

Urahara tipped his head down. Instincts honed by years in the stealth force told him that this was the correct path, but explaining it was more complicated. His fingers danced over Benihime's hilt as he explained, "The doom beasts are not complete yet, and I don't think that he can complete them quickly. I want him to think that the Soul Society has lost interest in him; his own arrogance will lead him to make mistakes and assume that they're ready before they really are."

Shunsui's eyes narrowed. "He wanted us here for a reason. Well, maybe not us specifically," he added, gesturing to the shinigami. "But captain-level soul reapers. You think he wants an audience?" He flicked a glance at Nanao, hiding a smile when she blushed and hastily looked away.

"From reports, Szayelaporro is narcissistic and sadistic," Juushiro replied. "But he's also brilliant. The desire for an audience is unlikely to be the only reason why he wants us here."

Urahara nodded slowly. The former espada had deliberately attracted the attention of the Soul Society before his creations were complete. Did he need to test them against stronger opponents? That didn't quite fit, but it was possible. _He had no way of knowing which captains would be sent; he doesn't know much about the internal politics of the Gotei 13_. The former captain frowned. _However, given the attack on Zaraki's men, a knowledgeable observer could predict that Shunsui and Juushiro would be sent_. They were the oldest and most experienced, with far more practical knowledge than the younger captains. _And Shunsui in particular has a very practical streak_ , Urahara mused.

Hitsugaya, while powerful, wasn't fully in control of that strength yet. And Hyorinmaru was not a subtle zanpakuto. Zaraki would have been a disaster – unless investigation involved destruction, he simply wasn't interested. _Soi Fon would have been ideal, but she's still busy searching for the connections Aizen built back in Soul Society. He had far too many covert supporters_. Komamura was out due to his inhuman mien, Byakuya due to his arrogance. The mere thought of the noble Kuchiki taking public transit made Urahara smirk. Never mind that he was aiding Soi Fon's investigation among the nobility. Unohana was needed in the Soul Society, and no one would send Kurotsuchi on such a mission. _No one trusts him out of their sight_. The former captain sighed. _Maybe I shouldn't have promoted him. Ah well, that's in the past_.

So the only captains left were Shunsui and Juushiro. _Considering the hash the first doom beast made of Ikkaku and Yumichika, they would likely be sent as a pair_. Ikkaku had the strength of a captain, though he preferred not to reveal it; Yumichika was easily as strong as any lieutenant in the Gotei 13. On top of that, the two were vicious fighters. _If an opponent could wipe the floor with those two, it would be logical to guess that it would take both Shunsui and Juushiro to take him out_. But that prediction required knowing the Soul Society better than an espada would. Aizen wasn't the kind of man to gossip to his underlings, so Szayel couldn't have learned such knowledge that way. _Of course, this assumes that he's the one calling the shots. If not…_

Urahara's head snapped up. "That's it!" he blurted out. "We've been assuming that Szayelaporro is in charge. What if he's not? What if he's working with or for someone from the Soul Society?"

Nanao bit her lip. "That means someone probably wanted Ukitake Taicho and Kyoraku Taicho out of the way," she mused, following Urahara's train of thought. "Either because they're the most powerful captains, or because they're Yamamoto Soutaicho's biggest supporters, or both." The latter wasn't precisely true, but no one outside the highest echelons of the Gotei 13 knew about their confrontation with Yamamoto during the debacle with Rukia's execution. Both Hitsugaya and Kuchiki were more likely to support Yamamoto purely based on the fact that he was the head captain, but even an informed outsider wouldn't know that. It was one of the things she admired most about her captain – he didn't blindly obey orders.

"When was the last time any of you heard from the Soul Society?" Yoruichi asked shrewdly.

Juushiro shrugged. "A day after we arrived – my third seats wanted to make sure I was doing alright."

"So no communication for the past several weeks?"

Shunsui nodded. "But that's not unusual. They know we're on a mission; they won't contact us for anything less than an emergency." He watched Nanao out of the corner of his eye, noting the way she shifted her weight from one foot to another. When she glanced surreptitiously at him, he quickly looked away. Another pale pink blush stained Nanao's cheeks, and she bit her lip.

Yoruichi tilted her head to one side, golden eyes narrowed. "Still, if someone wanted you removed from the Soul Society, there must have been a reason." Nanao nodded in agreement, while Shunsui furrowed his brow in thought.

"I'll send a message to Retsu," Juushiro promised. "She can tell us if anything is going wrong. But I think we may be worrying over nothing."

The former stealth force captain shrugged. "Maybe, but just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there's no one after you." Shunsui laughed, throwing Yoruichi a mischievous grin. She smirked back, but her eyes remained deadly serious.

"I'll send the message right now," Juushiro reassured her. "Kisuke, may I borrow a soul phone?" When Urahara tossed him the blocky device, he walked a few steps away from the group and began talking quietly into it. Yoruichi's expression returned to its unreadable former state, but a trace of relief entered her reiatsu.

Nanao glanced over at Urahara. "There's no point in worrying until we get an answer. The question is, should we put the bracelets on now or wait until then?" She preferred to keep her powers as long as possible, but she suspected that Urahara would prefer for them to begin their plan immediately. _Though if someone from the Soul Society really does want Shunsui and Juushiro out of the way, this would be the perfect opportunity to strike_. She cast a worried glance at Juushiro's back, hoping that he was being careful. Unohana wouldn't betray them, but if someone overheard their conversation, it could put them in a tricky position.

Unfortunately, Nanao had predicted Urahara's response correctly. "Now," the scientist opined. "Regardless of what is going on in the Soul Society, we need him to make a mistake, and this is the best way of doing it."

Shunsui shrugged. "I hope you're right. Those are not the most pleasant things to wear." He wrinkled his nose as he studied the bracelets in Urahara's hand. "You could have at least made them pink." Nanao rolled her eyes at him, and he gave her an innocent expression in return.

Urahara favored him with a raised eyebrow. "Could you do better?" Shunsui grinned as he demurred. "Then don't complain."

With varying expressions of distaste, the three shinigami snapped the silver bracelets around their wrists. Their spiritual pressure shrank to nothing in seconds as the spells in the turquoise stones flared to life. Urahara snapped the senkaimon closed with a flourish, and Nanao sighed as the last drops of reiatsu vanished. "Seeing as we're in a holding pattern at the moment, I'm going to go to bed," she announced firmly. Dark circles under her eyes bore testament to her weariness. Building the new array of detectors had sapped almost every drop of her energy; she needed more than a catnap to fully recover.

Shunsui gave her a sympathetic look. "We all need more sleep." Though the kido masters had been the only ones to stay up all night, the rest of them had been kept busy for a large portion of it. He wanted to talk to his lieutenant, but that would have to wait.

"In that case, let's all reconvene here tomorrow," Juushiro suggested, returning the soul phone to Urahara. At the scientist's quizzical look, he shook his head. "No answer from Retsu, but she should get back to us soon."

"I just hope everything is alright in the Soul Society," Nanao said worriedly. They all nodded. They could handle Szayel and his doom beasts. An unknown ally in the Soul Society, however, complicated things exponentially.

* * *

The servants of the Golden Lion Inn were accustomed to wealthy customers. The luxurious building, set in the first district, catered to their every need without complaint or question; it was famed for it. The customers paid a hefty price, but the privacy and exquisite service was worth it. So the staff members didn't bat an eye when a small group of richly dressed men requisitioned one of their gaming rooms for the evening.

Younger members of the noble set often came here for a leisurely evening of games and drinking, but these men were in search of something different. They accepted sake and appetizers, then firmly closed the door in the servants' faces. The servants shrugged, set up a sign saying that their guests desired privacy, and went about their business.

In the lushly appointed room, the men drew their chairs into a semicircle and settled down to the serious business of planning the future. "Are the plans on schedule?" one man, clad in green and gold brocade, asked.

A gray-haired man nodded. "Everything is progressing properly. The latest report indicates that the trials are coming along nicely, and there have been no overt reactions to our most recent move."

"And the captains?" a third man asked. He tapped his fingers on his knee, looking around the room with ill-concealed suspicion.

The gray-haired man's lips thinned. "They suspect nothing. They can remain in the dark until our plans are consolidated." He glanced around the circle, daring anyone to disagree with him. No one met his eyes.

A fourth man, who wore a brilliant gold chain around his neck, shrugged. "After all, we are doing nothing wrong. They have no recourse if they dislike it." His oily tone held an undercurrent of amusement; they all knew how easily the legalities of the situation could be manipulated.

The first man laughed shortly. "Do not underestimate them. They are powerful and cunning, and – I suspect – less beholden to the rule of law than they should be."

"All the more reason they should be brought to see reason," the fourth man returned. He lifted an eyebrow, staring challengingly at the first man, who returned his gaze with equanimity.

The gray-haired man sighed. "We have gone over this before, and do not need to do so again." He tilted his sake cup in his hands, studying the swirling liquid pensively. "The trials should be complete within the month." All around the room, men nodded wisely, with concealed looks of greed and eagerness. "Then we may enter the second phase of our plan, if it becomes necessary."

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when Urahara finally received a missive from Captain Unohana. The Soul Society still hadn't mastered the art of email, despite the availability of the technology, so the letter was delivered by a panting Hanataro Yamada, who came stumbling through the senkaimon and nearly tripped over his own feet as he bowed low to Urahara and Tessai. "Unohana Taicho sent this," he mumbled, handing a sheaf of paper over.

"Thank you for delivering this," Urahara responded smoothly. "Do you want to stay for a cup of tea?"

Hanataro's cheeks turned red. "I'm sorry, but I really must be going," he blurted out, stepping back into the open senkaimon. "Thanks for the offer though!" With that, he sprinted back into the precipice world.

Urahara chuckled. "Looking at him, you wouldn't guess that he's one of the best healers in the Fourth, would you?"

Tessai shook his head ruefully. "He certainly hides it well." He glanced around, and asked, "Boss, should I get the shinigami?"

"No need," Shunsui called cheerfully as he poked his head around the door frame. "We sensed the senkaimon opening." After a leisurely brunch at a tiny outdoor café, the trio had adjourned to the shoten to discuss the case with Shinji, Lisa, and Kensei – the other vizards were on errands of their own. The discussion had turned into a gossip session as the shinigami filled the vizards in on everything that had happened in the past hundred years, and time had flown by. Now, though, Shunsui was ready to get to work. "Is that from Retsu?" he asked eagerly. When Urahara nodded, Shunsui grinned and bounced into the room. Juushiro and Nanao followed more sedately, taking up places against the wall. Yoruichi materialized a second later, followed by a curious Shinji.

Urahara handed the papers to Shunsui, an odd expression on his face. Juushiro cocked an eyebrow. "Is everything alright?"

The scientist smoothed his face back into its usual lines when he replied, "Of course." Juushiro eyed him critically, but chose not to question the eccentric former captain.

"It's from Retsu alright," Shunsui chuckled, scanning the first few lines of the missive. "The first thing she does is remind you to take your medicine and avoid any industrial areas," he informed Juushiro.

The pale captain flushed. "Mother hen," he muttered under his breath.

Shunsui choked on his own laughter. "I bet you wouldn't say that to her face!" No one challenged the head of the fourth division if they wanted to retain their current shape. Juushiro suffered under her ministrations more than most, with his illness; she always made sure that he was taking good care of himself. _Which is good, otherwise I'd have to do the same, and Juu-chan has no qualms about hitting me with a silencing kido if I get too annoying_. This way, Unohana took the brunt of Juushiro's frustration. Shunsui grinned. _Though my Nanao-chan also does a good job of keeping him in line_. And for some reason Juushiro never minded the petite lieutenant's efforts. _Oh, he's got it bad!_ Shunsui smirked at Juushiro, who flushed harder as he interpreted his lover's expression.

Urahara, choosing to ignore the undercurrents, chuckled smoothly. "That would not be wise."

Juushiro glared halfheartedly at both of them. "What else does she say?"

Shunsui frowned as he read further. "Now this is odd." His brow furrowed, and he read, "She says, 'There is now a council of nobles who have assumed the role of Central 46. They have passed several edicts, including one that forbids shinigami to bear arms outside of the Seireitei except on authorized missions.'" He looked up, face grim. "She included a copy of the ultimatums that they delivered to the old man. Here." He held out a piece of parchment inscribed with an ornate, old-fashioned hand.

 _In the absence of the Central 46, we, the heads of the Nishimura and Fukui Clans, require that Genryusai Yamamoto submit himself and the Gotei 13 to the authority of a council chosen from the heads of the noble families. This council will assume the duties of Central 46 until such time as new members may be found. Failure to comply with this order will be treated as treason against the Soul King, and will be dealt with accordingly._

 _It is a danger to the stability of the Soul Society to lack proper leadership. While the military has its place, it is not trained in governance, and needs suitable oversight to function in accordance with divine law and justice. Until such time as the Soul King sees fit to appoint new representatives of his power, we, who bear his blood in our veins, will assume those duties. We trust that the necessity of such an action is understood._

 _The Gotei 13 will continue to function under the authority of Genryusai Yamamoto, as before. However, major disciplinary infractions will be remanded to the council. The council may, at its discretion, determine other policies related to the governance of the Soul Society. We hope that such a transition may be accomplished painlessly._

 _By my hand and seal, Lord Nishimura_

When he had finished reading, Shunsui whistled lowly. "Now why would two of the Four Noble Families seize power like this?" Fukui and Nishimura clans were the equal of the Shihoin and Kuchiki clans, but they rarely sent sons or daughters to the Gotei 13. Instead, they preferred to involve themselves in the civil governance of the Soul Society. Shunsui knew several of them by reputation, and had been forced to endure interminable parties thrown by both clans, but he didn't know any of them well. It worried him that they chose now to involve themselves with the military; the timing couldn't be a coincidence.

Juushiro shook his head slowly. "I don't know, but the timing is suspicious. Do you think they have anything to do with Szayel?"

"It's not that suspicious," Nanao objected. "If they had threatened to unleash doom beasts on the soul reapers unless they cooperated, that'd be one thing, but they didn't. They're simply responding, albeit slowly, to the disaster caused by Aizen." She frowned. "I doubt the highest nobles in the land would work with an espada." Nibbling on her lower lip, she continued, "They simply ordered the head captain to comply; there aren't any threats involved. It could easily be a belated response to the war, nothing more." She shot an uncomfortable glance at her captain, then hastily looked away. She had slept away most of the morning, and had carefully avoided being alone with him since she woke. The chat with the vizards had made that easy, but she knew it couldn't last forever. She didn't need forever – she fully intended to talk to him soon. But she wanted a bit more time to analyze the tumult of emotions roiling inside her.

Shunsui grimaced. "Not that they have any right to give such an order," he pointed out. While he noticed Nanao's glance, he chose to ignore it. _She'll talk when she's ready, and not before that_. He knew his lieutenant well; if she didn't want to discuss a subject, wild horses couldn't pry it from her lips. _After all, she's neatly managed to avoid discussing any sort of romantic feelings for decades_. Even blatant protestations of love hadn't changed that, though they had earned him numerous bruises from her fan. _Which was actually rather fun, but that doesn't matter at the moment_. Shunsui's expression turned speculative, and he added, "I wonder if my dear family had anything to do with this?"

"Probably," Juushiro replied wryly. "They must have known about it, at least."

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "And this is why I'm glad I left noble politics far behind me."

Urahara flipped his fan over in his fingers, scrutinizing it carefully. "I suspect your absence factored into their plans," he replied. She wrinkled her nose as he continued, "They didn't even need to consult Byakuya to have a majority of the Four Families, which must have helped them. So long as they got the backing of several other houses, they could demand virtually anything."

"No, they couldn't," Nanao pointed out logically. "They still need to obey the laws created by the Soul King." Such laws applied to every soul, no matter their bloodlines.

"Those laws require the presence of Central 46," Shunsui informed her dryly. "Without them, I'm sure the nobles felt it was their responsibility to take over those duties. Profit and greed wouldn't have factored into it at all." Heavy sarcasm filled his words. Being born into a high noble clan had some advantages – he knew how they thought, at least.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes. "Which means they now have virtually unlimited power."

"They were already untouchable," Urahara noted sardonically. "And they basically controlled Central 46 when it existed – over half of the members came from noble families."

"Now how do you know that?" Shunsui asked interestedly. "I don't remember ever learning that particular tidbit." As far as he knew, Central 46 kept their identities under lock and key. Nanao gave Urahara a puzzled glance as well, clearly thinking along the same lines.

The shopkeeper smiled mysteriously. "I have my sources."

"Otherwise known as the Kuchiki library," Yoruichi put in dryly. Juushiro laughed delightedly, and Urahara gave Yoruichi a dirty look. She shrugged, unperturbed. "You forget that I was with you when you decided to sneak in there," she reminded him.

"Urahara-san's escapades aside, is this something we should be concerned about?" Nanao asked dryly. She twisted her fingers around themselves as Shunsui smiled at her, irritated to feel her cheeks flush at the simple gesture of approval.

Juushiro's eyes narrowed. "Not yet, I would say," he decided. "Though the regulation about traveling outside of the Seireitei is slightly worrisome, I can see their reasoning behind it." He paused, looking away. "There have been a few too many reports of abuse of power recently."

Shunsui nodded absently as he leafed through the rest of Unohana's letter. "I think that's… Wait, here's something." In a dusty, pompous voice, he read, "In light of the situation with the traitor Aizen, we feel that establishing oversight of the military is necessary to preserve the stability of the Soul Society. Thus, we will establish mandatory psychological evaluations of every shinigami, to be conducted yearly. A yearly review of the budgets and mission reports will also be conducted. Division funds may not be spent on sake, excessive building repairs, or other unnecessary expenses." He looked up, a comical expression of horror plastered on his face. "Nanao-chan, they're going to take away our sake!"

Nanao folded her arms, returning his look calmly. "It will be good for you, sir." The comfort of the familiar routines grounded her, calming the tense buzzing in her veins.

He pouted at her. "But, sweet Nanao-chan, we _need_ that sake!"

Juushiro gave him a wry look. "You mean that _you_ need the sake. I have to say, mandatory evaluations may actually help us prevent another psychopath like Aizen or Ichimaru gaining power." He looked around the room at the assembled soul reapers. "This council may not be a bad thing."

Urahara shrugged. "Possibly. But how many changes are they going to make?"

None of them had an answer to that.


	29. Tipping Point

**Author's Note:**

Alright, here's the chapter most of you have been waiting for! Romance is incredibly far from being my forte, so I really hope you like it. Does it seem realistic? Do they all seem in-character? Is there anything more that you want to see between the three of them? I don't think this story will include anything much more explicit, since it's only rated T, but if enough people want something more lemon-y, I can write a companion oneshot.

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 29:** **Tipping Point  
**

Nanao had successfully avoided being alone with Shunsui for days, but her luck was running out. He finally cornered her after dinner, approaching her with a beaming grin when Juushiro left the room. "Nanao!" he exclaimed happily. "I've hardly seen you for days!"

She blushed. "Not exactly true," she reminded him. She hadn't been able to avoid him entirely, much to her dismay. Though she had attempted to keep things professional, he had noted her awkward glances and blushes whenever he smiled at her. The setting had never been right to confront her on them, but he had been patient, and – sure enough – the perfect opportunity had arrived.

"Big group get-togethers don't count," he retorted dryly. "Is my Nanao-chan avoiding me?" He carefully kept his tone light and teasing, not wanting to scare her off.

Nanao rolled her eyes. "Sir, I am not your anything," she sighed, as she had sighed a thousand times before with no perceivable effect.

Inwardly, Shunsui crowed. _Perfect opening!_ "You know, you could be," he replied cheerfully. As he expected, her cheeks flushed more brightly. "And you're avoiding the question," he added. She was very good at dodging uncomfortable topics. Ordinarily, he enjoyed the game of wits that would ensue as he pressed for more details and she danced around the subject, but not today. His heart felt like it would pound itself right out of his chest as he waited for her response – he couldn't handle many more evasions.

"Sir, I haven't been avoiding you," she replied carefully. "Urahara-san has simply been keeping me very busy." That was even true, to a certain extent.

Shunsui heaved a put-upon sigh. "I know, he's such a slave driver. Well, if that's the case, why don't you come watch a movie with me and Juushiro? Lisa lent it to me; she said it's excellent." Actually, she had told him that it was the best excuse she could come up with to get him and Nanao in the same room, but he wasn't going to tell his lieutenant that.

Nanao's eyes narrowed. "It's not porn, is it?"

Shunsui laid his hand over his heart. "Now, why would you think that?" When she glared at him, he chuckled, and reassured her, "No, it's not. It's an adventure film." He offered her an inviting smile. "It's a great way to relax," he coaxed. _And you definitely need to relax more often_. The lines at the corners of her eyes were etched deeply into her skin, and the perpetual circles under her eyes refused to vanish no matter how many breaks he tried to give her. She hadn't gotten more than ten hours of sleep, total, over the past three days, and it showed on her face.

Her shoulders tightened, and Shunsui wondered if she was about to refuse. Then she sighed. "Alright, fine," she replied.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," he hurried to say, worried by the way she refused to look him in the eye. _This doesn't have to happen_ , he told her mentally, hoping that she would read the sentiment from his body language. If she wanted to return to the way things were, he would oblige her. _It would feel like ripping out my own heart, but if it makes her happy_ … He would do anything for his Nanao-chan.

Nanao shook her head. "No, it does sound like fun. Now?" Shunsui nodded. Nanao bit her lip. _Might as well get it over with_ , she thought to herself. _Otherwise things will be very awkward for the rest of the trip_.

 _You can do it_ , Kajishizu urged her. The zanpakuto spirit sent her waves of encouragement. _Just say it!_

"Sir?" Nanao asked hesitantly as Shunsui led the way to the room he and Juushiro shared.

Shunsui paused, looking back at her. "Yeah, Nanao?" he asked seriously.

She plucked at the hem of her sleeve, pretending to be fascinated by the stitching. "Um, well…" She faltered, unable to figure out what she wanted to say. "Never mind," she muttered.

Shunsui sighed. He could tell that she wanted to say something, but he didn't want to make her uncomfortable by pressing her too hard. His lieutenant kept all of her feelings hidden behind an expressionless mask, and without the ability to detect her reiatsu, he couldn't read her perfectly. _What do I say?_ he wondered in frustration. He had asked Lisa for advice, but she'd just laughed at him and told him to follow his heart. _Not helpful_.

 _You really don't understand women_ , Katen Kyokotsu commented acidly.

 _Hey!_ Shunsui replied indignantly. _I do too! I just don't understand my Nanao-chan_. His zanpakuto rolled her eyes at him and vanished into the back of his mind. He looked up to find Nanao watching him patiently, an odd glint in her violet eyes. He chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry," he apologized. "Katen Kyokotsu thought I needed her advice."

"On what?" Nanao asked cautiously.

Shunsui groaned. "Nothing she can help with. She just wanted to be snarky." Katen Kyokotsu snickered from the back of Shunsui's mind; he sent her a mental death glare.

Nanao shrugged. "In that case, shall we?" Without waiting for an answer, she led the way down the hall.

Just before they reached his room, he laid a hand on her shoulder. She froze. As soon as she stopped walking, he removed his hand, cursing at himself. Had he made a mistake? "Nanao, do you want to talk about the night at the club?" he asked tentatively. She had been acting slightly odd for a while – ever since they came to the living world – but it wasn't until the night at Nightfire that she began actively avoiding his presence. Had the kiss really bothered her that much? Did she think it was such an egregious violation of propriety that she would rather run away from it than confront it? His Nanao-chan never backed down from a fight; this behavior was entirely unlike her. Though Shunsui hoped that it implied that she returned his affections, he was prepared for alternative outcomes. _At least, I think I am_ …

She blushed fiercely, glancing down at her hands. Several awkward moments passed as Shunsui lounged against the wall, pretending that her answer didn't matter a great deal to him. Finally she exhaled heavily. The tension left her muscles as she murmured, "Yeah, maybe."

Shunsui chuckled. "Then, want to come inside? We'll postpone the movie slightly." Nanao shrugged jerkily, but followed him inside the room.

Juushiro stood when they entered, laying aside a slender volume. Taking in the uncomfortable way Nanao gripped her sleeves and the hopeful, nervous look on Shunsui's face, he asked, "Is everything alright between you two?" His lover sent him a desperate look, and he smiled reassuringly. _You'll be fine_ , he sent silently, though he knew Shunsui couldn't feel the sentiment in his reiatsu. _She does like you, she's just too nervous to show it_.

Shunsui shut the door behind them, dropping casually onto the bed. "Take a seat," he urged Nanao. She sat awkwardly on the edge of the chair, twisting her hands in her lap. The skin over her knuckles was white with the force of her grip.

Juushiro leaned against the desk, regarding Nanao kindly. "Are you alright, Nanao-san?" he asked gently. "You look uncomfortable."

She shrugged. "I'm fine." Her fingers twined around each other more tightly, grasping hard enough to leach even more blood from the skin.

He shook his head. "Are you sure? Let me guess, Shunsui brought up Nightfire. We don't have to talk about this, you know." Though he, like his partner, had noticed Nanao's odd behavior, he refused to risk their present friendship for the possibility of ephemeral romance. He knew that Nanao would want to talk things out at some point – probably sooner, rather than later. So if she needed space now, he was happy to give it to her.

At that Nanao looked up with a wry smile. "Really? Because that sounds like it would cause far more problems. Didn't you say that communication was essential?" Juushiro nodded. _But if we rush into something, it can cause just as many problems as not talking about it could_. That lesson he had learned the hard way.

Shunsui chuckled. "That's my brilliant Nanao-chan! You're right, communication is pretty important, but that doesn't mean it has to happen now." He looked at her inquiringly – the ball was in her court now. If she decided to dodge the issue once again, they would let it drop until she brought it up at a later time. Shunsui could accept that, though he hated it. Only his certain knowledge that she would rather be boiled in a pit of lava than run away from the problem forever helped him maintain a calm façade.

Nanao bit her lip, fingers tightening. Though this promised to be an uncomfortable conversation—and part of her desperately wanted to avoid it – another part of her wanted to face it head-on. "No, let's talk," she suggested nervously.

Juushiro smiled at her. "We don't bite, you know," he teased.

"Unless you want us to," Shunsui added mischievously. Now that Nanao had agreed to talk, he felt like a massive boulder had been lifted off of his shoulders. So he couldn't resist teasing his lieutenant a bit when Juushiro provided the perfect opening.

Nanao blushed hotly. "No comment," she muttered. Both captains laughed. Nanao glared halfheartedly at them, cheeks flaming. "You were the one who brought this up," she accused Shunsui. "So what did you want to say?"

He sobered, though laughter still danced in his eyes. "You know we," he indicated Juushiro, "have an open relationship, right?" Nanao nodded, and Shunsui continued, "We've both had significant, long-term relationships with others, though no one else is in the picture right now." He grinned at her. "That doesn't mean we don't want that though!" Shunsui took a deep breath, feeling unwontedly nervous. Now that everything was out in the open, he found it surprisingly difficult to be eloquent. "Nanao, you're an amazing woman, and I strongly value your friendship. Not to mention our work relationship. I don't want to jeopardize that, the division would never survive! Seriously, can you imagine that?" He flashed her a bright smile.

Juushiro rolled his eyes. "Shunsui, you're babbling," he informed his lover fondly. Shunsui glanced away, abashed. He hadn't been this nervous around a girl since his Academy days. Juushiro took over the thread, explaining, "As Shunsui is failing to say, he thinks you're very attractive, as do I."

"Hey, I have no trouble telling her that she's hot!" Shunsui exclaimed, affronted. That was the easy part. Compliments and flirtatious comments had always flowed naturally for him; it was discussing deeper emotions that made him stutter like a schoolboy.

Juushiro sent him a quelling glance. "Not my point."

The flamboyant captain shrugged. "It's true though." He looked over at Nanao. "You are incredibly attractive, and, well…" He took a deep breath. Why couldn't he have sake to make this easier? "Nanao, why did you kiss me in the club?"

She blushed. "Because I wanted to?" she whispered.

Shunsui chuckled, admiring the way the pinkness of her cheeks brought out the violet in her eyes. "That is not a helpful answer," he told her playfully. Nanao glared at him. "It's true!" he defended himself. "That is an answer that is both completely true and incredibly unhelpful!" Juushiro laughed.

"It's a good answer," Nanao retorted, losing a bit of her shyness.

"Yes, it is," Juushiro replied. "But it doesn't answer the underlying question." Nanao sighed, looking away.

Shunsui glanced over at Juushiro. "You looked like you enjoyed yourself with Juushiro," he said in an apparent non-sequitur. "Why did you ask him to suspend you?"

"I'm guessing you want a better answer than before," Nanao muttered. She exhaled sharply. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure I have one." Curiosity had played a large part in that decision, as had Lisa's forceful encouragement. But she knew that neither was the full explanation. _I just wish I could articulate anything beyond that_. The words simply refused to shape themselves in her mind, which was entirely unlike her.

Juushiro smiled encouragingly at her. "Possibly a better question would be, do you want to do it again at some point?"

Nanao's blush returned full force, but she nodded. _I guess… yeah, I would. That was a lot of fun, and it can't hurt to do it again… Except_ … She glanced uncomfortably over at Shunsui. "Sir?" she asked tentatively.

He grinned at her. "I'd love to see my Nanao-chan playing with my Juu-chan more! Though I'd be rather sad to lose you," he informed her flirtatiously. "You know how I feel about you, after all."

"Actually, sir," Nanao pointed out, "I don't, really." He made outrageous proclamations of devotion and desire every day, often including badly-written paeans to her beauty, but that wasn't the same as an honest confession. She had heard him make similar declarations to any number of girls, even those who doused him with sake or slapped him for his efforts. Admittedly, he never tried again with those women, while he refused to listen to her attempts to bring his behavior onto a more professional level, but still. He could just be playing; they both enjoyed the game, after all. _And I refuse to commit my heart to someone if it's just a game for them_.

Shunsui faltered. Making an effort to look her in the eye, he said soberly, "I admire you and respect you a lot. You're one of the most brilliant people I know. I…" He paused, exhaling heavily. "I like you a lot. If you wanted to be in a relationship, I'd leap at the chance. But I don't want to pressure you into anything. You and Juushiro clearly have a connection, and I think you'd be very happy together." He looked away, painful honesty naked in his eyes.

Nanao flushed. "Taicho, I…"

"Shunsui," he interrupted firmly.

"Shunsui." She twisted her fingers together more tightly. "You're one of my best friends, and, um, quite attractive. I, um, well…" Her words fell off, and she took a deep breath. "I like both of you far more than I should. It's one thing to play around here, but in the Soul Society I'm your subordinate. A relationship with either one of you would not be proper."

"Actually, there are no regulations against it," Juushiro informed her. "In fact, for a long time, it was expected that captains or other high-ranking officers would be the lovers of their protégés. That was when the military arm of the Gotei 13 was exclusively male, but the precedent stands."

"Really?" Nanao asked skeptically.

Juushiro nodded, a faraway look in his eyes. "My captain, when I first became a seated officer, was my lover as well as my mentor."

Nanao looked between him and Shunsui, puzzled. "But weren't you two dating by that point?"

Shunsui chuckled. "Yes, and we hadn't quite figured out polyamory yet. So it was a, shall we say, interesting time." Interesting was putting it mildly. They had nearly broken up several times during those years, and Shunsui had hated Nishimura Taicho in the beginning. He had felt that the captain was taking advantage of Juushiro, while Juushiro had been guilty and miserable over the pain he was causing Shunsui. Yet he had remained adamant that the only proper thing to do was continue the relationship with Nishimura. Shunsui grimaced in remembrance. _You were so stubborn then_ , he told his lover silently, reaching out to run his fingers through Juushiro's long white hair. _So determined to do the societally appropriate thing, even when it was causing you pain_. He sighed. _But, in the end, you were right – it was the right thing to do_.

Nanao blinked in bemusement. "Interesting?" she asked tentatively.

"We had been mostly exclusive for a while at that point, though I didn't mind Shunsui having the occasional one night stand with girls," Juushiro explained, leaning into Shunsui's caress. "At the time, though we didn't precisely hide our relationship, we certainly didn't flaunt it. It didn't fit into the socially acceptable parameters for a homosexual relationship. So Shunsui's actions provided a bit of camouflage."

He paused, and Shunsui continued, "And they were fun! Then Nishimura Taicho took Juushiro under his wing, and, well, it's a long story."

"Let's just say we learned a lot about jealousy and boundaries during that time," Juushiro supplied. "But you don't turn down a taicho when he offers you special tutoring, and the assumption of the time was that an apprenticeship included a physical relationship." No one ever came out and said it explicitly, but the code of shudo was a deeply-entrenched tradition within the Gotei 13.

Nanao frowned. "That sounds rather coercive."

Juushiro sighed. "It was awkward in the beginning, I'll admit. When I informed him that Shunsui and I were dating, he basically told me that it wasn't an issue so long as my oaths to him came first. He allowed me to make the final decision, however." And while he had initially agreed to the relationship out of a sense of obligation, he soon grew to care deeply for Nishimura Taicho. Juushiro looked down. They had been lovers for years, and slowly the relationship had stabilized. The initial tension of the dual relationship had faded into an amicable, albeit formal, friendship between Shunsui and Nishimura. Then the captain had been killed on a supposedly low-risk mission, and Juushiro's world had turned upside-down. Without Shunsui's unwavering support, he wasn't sure what would have happened.

Shunsui sent him a worried glance, sensing the somber turn of his mood. Juushiro smiled back, deliberately infusing his reiatsu with cheer, though he knew Shunsui wouldn't be able to sense it. "But that's beside the point. My point is that captains and lieutenants are permitted, even encouraged, to be in a relationship." He smiled gently at her. "However, if that's not your desire, we will not press you on it."

Nanao bit her lip. It'd be easy to tell him no, she didn't wanted a relationship with either of them. They could return to their prior easygoing friendship, and never speak of it again. But that was the coward's way out. If she was honest with herself, she didn't want to do that. But the other path was littered with obstacles and pitfalls that she'd never encountered before, and the thought petrified her. What if she messed it up? She didn't want to lose her two best friends just because they introduced sex into the mix. _Though, truly, that'd be the only major change, wouldn't it?_ "What exactly would a relationship look like?" Nanao inquired tentatively. "When you look at it objectively, we already do most things a couple does." Looking at Shunsui, she said, "I already spend every work day with you, and a significant amount of free time. We can talk about almost anything; you've cared for me when I'm sick and I've helped you when you're drunk or hungover." She switched her gaze to Juushiro. "We talk about books, or philosophy, or kido, for hours on end. I spend half my holidays with you and your family. So honestly, what would change?"

Shunsui laughed wholeheartedly. "Ah, Nanao-chan, I can think of one thing!"

"Get your mind out of the gutter," she admonished, pushing her glasses up her nose. "Besides that." She gave him a sardonic look, and he chuckled unrepentantly.

"We'd figure that out together," Juushiro answered. "Relationships are complex, fluid things, after all." There was a reason why most people assumed that Nanao and Shunsui were already dating – they bickered like a married couple, Shunsui constantly proclaimed his undying love for her, and they spent nearly every waking hour together. By most standards, they already fit the definition of a couple; not all relationships needed to involve sex.

Nanao sighed. "That's not very helpful," she muttered. "And you were saying that my answers weren't useful."

Shunsui winked at her. "Does that mean my answer is better?"

"No," she informed him sternly. "Your answer is both obvious and unhelpful." As well as predictable. She should have known that the flamboyant taicho wouldn't pass up such a clear opportunity for teasing and innuendo.

Her captain pressed a hand to his heart. "You wound me!" he exclaimed melodramatically.

"You'll survive," she told him dryly.

"Not if my sweet Nanao-chan doesn't like me anymore!" he declared extravagantly. She rolled her eyes at him.

Juushiro snickered. "I'm fairly sure she just said that she does like you, so there's no need for your dramatics," he informed his partner sardonically.

Shunsui turned hopeful puppy dog eyes on Nanao. She laughed, abandoning her perch on the chair to give her captain a hug. "I do like you, Shunsui," she said fondly. "And Juushiro. If the two of you are willing, let's see where this thing goes." It really wasn't that hard of a decision, after all. In the back of her mind, Kajishizu sent her waves of approval.

Shunsui's arms tightened around her. "In that case, Nanao, may I kiss you?" he asked seriously. She nodded, suddenly tongue-tied. He shifted position, pulling her into his lap and cupping her face in his hands. Moving carefully, as if afraid she would bolt, he brushed his lips against hers. Her eyes drifted closed, and he deepened the kiss. A few moments later, Nanao felt Juushiro's weight sink down on the bed behind them. She leaned back into his comforting warmth, drawing Shunsui with her, and Juushiro's arms encircled them both.

When Shunsui broke the kiss, she tilted her head back to look up at Juushiro. The white-haired captain, green eyes vivid with joy, smiled at her. "I'm glad you chose this," he murmured. Nanao smiled shyly in response. Squirming into a better position, she planted a soft kiss on Juushiro's lips.

"So am I," she said softly.


	30. Closing In

**Author's Note:**

Thank you to Starscape91, Nova Alexandria, wenduo, and Snowkid for the reviews! If you're enjoying this story, please leave a review; it helps me get better and gives me a reason to keep writing, which means you get chapters more quickly.

An online perceptron algorithm, mentioned by Urahara, is a type of machine learning algorithm that separates data into two classes, positive and negative. Basically, if your data is two-dimensional, it draws a line in the x-y plane, and declares that everything above the line belongs to one class, while everything below the line is in the other class. For n-dimensional data, it draws an n-dimensional hyperplane, which is basically a line extended into n dimensions. The algorithm figures out how to draw that line by starting with an initial line (usually x = 0) and updating it every time it gets another data point. It's one of the simplest machine learning algorithms, but it can be really powerful.

* * *

 **Chapter 30:** **Closing In  
**

"Good morning, Nanao-chan!"

Nanao groaned and pried her eyes open. "Taicho?" she replied sleepily. How did he wake up earlier than she did? That never happened. Glancing at the alarm clock on the dresser, she blinked with surprise – it was only 8 am. "Are you sick?" she asked curiously, propping herself up on one arm as she stared in bewilderment at her captain, who stood in the doorway clutching two steaming cups of coffee.

"Of course not!" he caroled happily, waltzing into the room. "I just wanted to bring my Nanao-chan a cup of coffee to start her day!" He set the cups on the dresser and perched on the edge of the bed, grinning cheerfully at her.

Nanao sighed. "Sir, I'm not your…" she began reflexively. Then she stopped, blushing. Shunsui's smile took on a smug edge, and she dropped her head back to the pillow with a groan. _Okay, this is awkward_. "Sir, you really shouldn't call me that," she pointed out sensibly, trying to ignore her flaming cheeks. "I'm still your subordinate, after all."

He pouted at her. "But, Nanao-chan," he whined. Grabbing one of the cups, he brandished it like a badge of honor. "But I brought coffee!"

Nanao sat up and accepted the cup, realizing only as the blankets fell from her shoulders that her nightgown – practical as it was – still revealed more of her body than she preferred. She blushed harder as Shunsui gave her an appreciative glance, but there was nothing to be done about it now. Besides, he had already seen her practically naked, during the scene at Nightfire, so it wasn't as if she had much to hide.

Things hadn't progressed nearly that far last night, much to Shunsui's mock disappointment. Though they had cuddled after – and during – the movie, Nanao hadn't felt comfortable doing much more than petting. She wasn't a virgin, thanks to a few flings in her twenties, but the last time she had so much as kissed someone had been fifty years ago. Petrified that she would make a mistake and screw up the fragile balance that they had attained, she had kept the activities relatively tame.

Both men had been perfect gentlemen about her decision, though Shunsui had complained loudly that it wasn't fair that Juushiro had gotten to play with her and he hadn't. The resulting teasing had led to more kissing, and petting, and blushing on Nanao's part, until she had called a halt around midnight. Though parts of her body had urged her to continue, her sensible side had reminded her that morning would come far too early. Nanao felt her cheeks heat up even further as tactile memories flooded her skin.

Shunsui chuckled. "You okay, Nanao-chan?" he asked casually, resting a hand on her calf. "Not regretting anything from last night, I hope?" Despite his attempt to sound completely normal, a thread of true worry wound its way through his voice.

Nanao smiled reassuringly and set her coffee down on the bedside table, laying her hand over his. "Don't worry, I don't," she told him softly. She shook her head slowly, taking account of her own feelings. "I truly don't."

If she was honest with herself, that fact surprised her. Rangiku had a propensity for forcing the Shinigami Women's Association to watch trashy romantic comedies, so Nanao had – albeit unwillingly – been exposed to a number of 'romantic' heroines. She had always viewed the girls with a mixture of bemusement and disdain, for they seemed to lose all sense of rationality when falling in love, but she had gathered that their behavior was considered normal. Nanao smiled wryly. _I guess I assumed that, if I ever fell in love, I'd probably act just as stupidly – that's certainly what the other girls told me_. Kajishizu giggled in the back of her mind, and her lips twitched. _The heroines always seem to agonize over every decision that vaguely relates to romance, even after they've made them_. She rolled her eyes. _Come to think of it, Rangiku does the same_.

"You're thinking too much," Shunsui commented, trailing his fingers up her leg. "What are you worrying about now?" His tone was gently teasing, but kindly meant.

Nanao blushed. "Nothing," she demurred, picking up her coffee and taking a small sip. It scalded her tongue, and she winced. Shunsui lifted a skeptical eyebrow. "Nothing," she repeated, cradling her coffee cup in both hands. "Really, it's nothing." She had spent nearly an hour the previous night mulling over her decision before coming to terms with all of the implications; her relief over her lack of regrets shouldn't have surprised her.

Shunsui studied her for a long moment before nodding decisively. "Good!" he exclaimed cheerfully. In one deft movement, he plucked the coffee cup from her hands and set it safely on the bedside table, then captured her chin with his hand. She blinked at him, startled, as he gently tugged her closer to him, wrapping his free hand around her waist. Her eyes fluttered closed, and he planted a soft kiss on her lips.

The flamboyant captain pulled back after a moment, a bit of regret showing in his eyes. "Come on, you'd better get dressed," he urged, running his fingers through her messy hair. "Not that I don't appreciate the view…" he added laughingly. Nanao felt her cheeks heating up again, much to her irritation.

"Shunsui, are you embarrassing her again?" Juushiro chuckled from the doorway. Shunsui looked up with a winning smile, bouncing off of the bed and striding over to his partner. Juushiro's laugh cut off abruptly as Shunsui captured his lips in a heated kiss, bending the white-haired captain backwards in a dramatic stage maneuver.

Nanao shifted awkwardly as the embrace grew more passionate – one of Shunsui's hands was tangled in Juushiro's hair, while Juushiro clung to his shoulders with the strength of a drowning man. She could feel more blood rushing to her cheeks; she was fairly sure that the color was permanent as this point. _Blasted captains_ , she grumbled mentally, staring determinedly down at the silver bracelet around her wrist.

A soft cough from Juushiro recalled her attention to the men, who had thankfully broken apart by the time she looked up. "Nanao?" he asked gently.

She buried her head in her hands. "Will you both stop asking if I'm alright?" she replied waspishly. "When have you ever known me to change my mind about anything important once I've made a decision?"

Juushiro laughed out loud at that. "Actually, I was going to ask if you wanted breakfast," he replied in a tone laden with amusement.

"Sorry," she muttered back, embarrassed by her outburst.

She felt the mattress sink down beside her and looked up at Juushiro wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Seriously, are you doing alright?" he asked quietly. "You don't usually snap like that."

Nanao sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. It felt curiously comforting to curl up against his side like that, though she had never been a very physical person. That had continually confused her captain, who was very touchy-feely. "I'm fine," she told Juushiro, snuggling closer. Laughing wryly, she added, "Well, I'm still worried that I'll mess something up, but…" She trailed off. "I'm fine."

Juushiro pressed his lips to the top of her head. "I know I told you this last night," he murmured, "but don't worry about that. We'll figure this out together." His arms tightened around her briefly, and he pressed another kiss to her forehead.

"Listen to Juu-chan," Shunsui advised, leaning nonchalantly against the dresser. "He knows what he's talking about… usually." The look that he shared with his lover was simultaneously amused and playful.

Juushiro rolled his eyes. "The incident with Mei was entirely your fault for not following my advice," he muttered, though he didn't sound annoyed. Turning to Nanao, he asked, "So, do you have any plans for the day?" He smiled cheerfully. "Until Kisuke calls us back, we've got nothing to do."

Nanao shrugged. "Let's get breakfast first, and figure it out later," she suggested. She had no idea what sources of entertainment were available in Karakura, and suspected that their purported day of leisure would vanish within a few hours. _Since we've gotten here, it's been one emergency after another. I doubt today will be any different_. Though she would welcome a true day of relaxation.

"Sounds good," Juushiro replied. He glanced over at Shunsui, who nodded cheerfully. "We'll see you down in the dining room once you get dressed, then?"

Nanao glanced down at herself and blushed yet again. "Sure," she muttered, staring balefully at the thin fabric of her nightgown. _No wonder Shunsui had that look on his face_. She glanced up. _Has, rather_. Her captain's eyes kept drifting below her collarbone, though he snapped them back up to her face when he noticed her gaze.

Juushiro followed her gaze and sighed. The corners of his mouth twitched as he suppressed a smile. "Come on, let's give Nanao some privacy," he suggested, rising and capturing Shunsui's hand. Nanao bit back a chuckle as the flamboyant captain allowed himself to be led out of the room, protesting his innocence with exaggerated gestures. _It'll be good to have a day to ourselves_.

* * *

They ended up spending the day exploring the outdoor markets. Nanao was fascinated by the juxtaposition of gleaming city skyscrapers and homely stalls that would have been at home in the Soul Society, while Shunsui enjoyed ogling the pretty girls hawking their wares. Juushiro alternated between sharing Nanao's excitement and rolling his eyes at his lover's antics, but it was clear that he was enjoying himself as well. Nanao found a small trinket in the shape of a laughing cat and immediately bought it, ignoring Shunsui's teasing as she tucked it into her pocket. "It's adorable!" she protested, laughing. As Shunsui had already purchased a garish pink t-shirt as a souvenir, she felt justified in disregarding his comments.

The leisurely day lasted until late in the afternoon, when Urahara called them back into his shop to update them on the situation. "I think we've spent more time here in the past couple weeks than we did in the last ten years," Shinji grumbled good-naturedly as he led the vizard crew into the shoten. Nanao waved at Lisa, who smiled back. Then the slender vizard's eyes lit up as she studied the trio of soul reapers, who had arrived a few minutes earlier.

"Did you?" she mouthed, making an incomprehensible gesture. Nanao blushed heavily. _I should have known Lisa would figure out something was different as soon as she saw us_ , she told herself wryly. _She knows me and Shunsui far too well_. She flapped her hand at the former lieutenant, who grinned and mouthed, "Later."

Urahara chuckled in response to Shinji's complaint, ushering them into the room with the massive screen. "For most of those years, we were pretending that I had no idea where you were, so that's not a surprise." He tapped a button on the black remote that he held, and the screen flared to life. "But hopefully this is one of the last times I call you all here." He jabbed another button, causing a map to spread across the screen.

Nanao studied it with narrowed eyes. The image depicted all of Tokyo – Karakura Town was visible in the western portion, demarcated from the other 23 wards of the metropolitan area by a green line. Small red flags dotted the city, with concentric pink rings surrounding each one. A blue haze covered a large portion of the city. As they watched, one of the flags emitted a white burst of light. The map flickered and redrew itself – when it reformed, the blue region was slightly smaller.

"What is this?" Shinji asked.

"It's the visual output from the program I wrote to triangulate the location of Szayelaporro's lab," Urahara explained. He indicated the flags. "These represent the detectors that you all placed around the city. Every time they receive a signal, they update the data." He tapped his closed fan against his palm. "Data consists of any unusual reiatsu flares, which often correspond to the death of a human. However, many other things can create flares."

Juushiro tipped his head to one side. "So how do you distinguish between the useful data and the false positives?"

Urahara tapped a sequence on his remote, and the map zoomed in to one flag. "The detector sends the data back to the central computer banks. I'm using a machine learning technique called an online perceptron algorithm to classify each signal. As we get more data, the classification becomes more precise." He gestured towards the screen, which had a column of numbers slowly scrolling across it. "Each signal can be decomposed into a feature vector, which is then compared to the aggregated data. For the initial training data, I used all of the information I had from known doom beast incidents."

"Incidents?" Hiyori snorted.

Urahara shrugged smoothly. "It's as good a term as any. The initial training data provided a foundation for what signals are related to doom beast creation, and which ones are just noise. Each new signal provides a bit more information about what a doom beast-specific signal looks like, or doesn't look like."

Nanao frowned. "So basically, your detectors tell the computer that they sensed a reiatsu flare, and the computer decides if it was due to the doom beast drug?" she asked slowly. Computers were only used by the Twelfth division, and Urahara's explanation had exceeded her little knowledge of their capabilities. Judging by the puzzled and bored looks of everyone around her, she wasn't the only one confused.

Urahara nodded. "Precisely. I can then see which detectors noticed that event, and how strong the signal was at each detector. A bit of trigonometry allows the computer to determine the approximate location of the flare." He tipped his head down. "Well, when I say a bit, it's actually quite a complex calculation." At Yoruichi's warning glare, he added hastily, "But that doesn't matter. What's important is that this allows me to determine where these flares occur. The blue region is a probabilistically-derived calculation that determines the most likely area where Szayel's base is."

"Wait," Shunsui said slowly. Looking back and forth between the screen and Urahara, he asked, "I thought the flares occurred when someone died. How does this tell us where Szayelaporro is?"

Urahara waved his hands around. "It's a bit more complicated than that. Basically, one flare occurs when someone dies, and another flare should – in theory – happen afterwards, as soon as the spirit gets absorbed and transported by Szayelaporro's drug. If my hypothesis is correct, the transportation spell exists in two parts: one that rips the soul from the body, and another that acts like a magnet to draw the soul in. The detectors are truly looking for that two-part event, and triangulating the latter half, which corresponds to the magnet spell."

"So why'd you call us here?" Hiyori demanded. "That blue area is way too big to search."

Urahara fluttered his fan in front of his face. "It's large, yes, but look what it contains. Most of the industrial district. I suspect that Szayelaporro is hiding somewhere among the warehouses and factories."

Mashiro, lounging on a box, kicked her legs idly. "So what?" She pouted prettily at Urahara, who tipped his hat over his eyes.

Yoruichi stepped forward, golden eyes gleaming with some unreadable emotion. "So, it's not that far away from your warehouse home."

Kensei frowned, taking a closer look at the map. The vizards' warehouse wasn't within the blue area, but Yoruichi was right – the boundary of the blue haze wasn't too far from their home, as the crow flew. He grimaced. "So we'll be extra careful."

"Do you think Szayel planned that?" Shunsui asked.

Urahara shook his head. "Unlikely. That warehouse is concealed by the strongest kido that Tessai, Hachi, and I could put together. I doubt he knows it exists."

Nanao bit her lip. "But the criteria that you used in finding a home, and that he used to find a base of operation, are probably similar," she pointed out softly. "You both needed something without curious neighbors, where unexplained comings and goings would be unremarkable. That limits your options." She blushed lightly when Shunsui gave her an approving smile, flustered by a new heat in his gaze. At Lisa's approving smirk, her cheeks burned brighter.

To her relief, her mentor didn't call attention to her embarrassment. Instead, Lisa asked, "Is it safe to return home?"

Yoruichi shrugged nonchalantly. "He's not about to attack you directly, not after the way Shinji easily handled that blue-haired espada. From what Kisuke says, Szayelaporro was reported to be the spymaster of Aizen's army, so he surely knows how strong you are. I don't see a problem with you all returning home, so long as you make sure the wards are fully up."

Shinji nodded. "We'd better return and double-check that, then." He bowed slightly to Urahara. "Thank you for the warning."

As the vizards filed out, Lisa touched Nanao's shoulder. "I saw the look on your face," the vizard murmured. "Something changed between the three of you." Her eyes sparkled when Nanao blushed again. "I knew it!" she crowed softly. "I knew he'd corner you eventually!"

Nanao glanced around. "Not here," she hissed. She didn't have a logical reason for the feeling, she knew, but she didn't want the news to become the hottest gossip in the Soul Society. _Or the hottest gossip in Karakura Town, for that matter_ , she told herself dryly.

Lisa nodded. "Follow me," she whispered conspiratorially. "I'll see you later," she called to the departing vizards. A grunt from Kensei was the only answer she got, but that didn't seem to bother her. Part of Nanao envied her; her companions obviously trusted that she could get herself out of any trouble she got herself into. _Whereas I doubt Shunsui and Juushiro will accept a simple 'later'_.

Sure enough, Shunsui had lifted an eyebrow at Lisa's declaration. "Are you planning on stealing my Nanao-chan?" he teased. One hand tugged idly at the silver bracelet around his wrist, and his eyes betrayed more worry than his tone.

Lisa shrugged. "Girl talk."

Shunsui rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. "Don't you ever get enough of that?" he complained playfully.

Nanao gave him a mock-severe look. "No more than you get tired of talking about sake and girls," she returned.

"Touché," Shunsui remarked. "Well, enjoy yourselves!" To Nanao's surprise, he included none of the cautions and questions that she expected. _He truly is trying_ , she realized happily. She could forgive his occasional overprotectiveness if he behaved like this most of the time.

"I'll see you both in a couple hours," she told them fondly. Juushiro smiled at her, and Shunsui waved, as Lisa tugged her out of the room.

The older woman maintained her silence until they exited the shoten, when she burst out, "Okay, tell me everything!"

Nanao grinned at her mentor's enthusiasm, which made her look like a teenage girl again. She realized that she hadn't seen Lisa this happy – except at Nightfire – the entire time they'd been in the living world. _War changes us all_ , she thought sadly. But at Lisa's suddenly worried expression, she pushed the thought away. "There's not much to tell," she started, blushing furiously.

Lisa chuckled. "I doubt that. Come on, let's walk and talk." Nanao nodded shyly, and Lisa led her down the empty street.

The sun was setting, casting long shadows over everything. A soft breeze blew, carrying with it a hint of approaching summer warmth, though true summer wouldn't arrive for weeks yet. It brushed against scattered pieces of plastic and other litter, which lay forlorn in the street. Streetlights glinted off of broken beer bottles lying amid the refuse. Not much trash, all told, but its presence spoke of the poverty of the area. More wealthy neighborhoods – tourist neighborhoods – were scrupulously clean.

Despite that, the area held no threats for the two shinigami women as they strolled along the sidewalk. Lisa seemed content to walk in silence and allow Nanao to make the first move, for which Nanao was grateful. After several long minutes to assemble her thoughts, she said softly, "You probably guessed this already, but, well," she fidgeted with her sleeve for a moment, "Shunsui asked me out." Lisa nodded, silently encouraging her to continue. Nanao blushed. "Well, actually, they both kinda did. I mean, it wasn't like I had to say yes to both of them, or anything, but… yeah." She trailed off uncertainly.

"And?" Lisa prompted when she didn't continue. "What did you say?"

Nanao twined her fingers together. "Um, yes?" she mumbled.

"That sounds like a question," Lisa teased gently. She placed her hand on Nanao's shoulder. "Are you okay with all of this?"

"Yes," Nanao replied firmly. "It's just all very new, and, well…" She glanced down. "I'm worried I'm going to mess it up." Petrified may have been a better word to describe her true feelings. She sighed, kicking a rock out of her path. "I've never been in a relationship with more than one person at a time, and," she paused, then added awkwardly, "I haven't really ever been in a serious relationship at all."

Lisa raised an eyebrow at her in surprise. "Really? Not even one?"

Nanao shook her head. "Not really. I mean, I've had boyfriends," she added hastily. "But they tended to be put off by Shunsui's constant flirting. And it's not like I've had time for anything serious since I became lieutenant."

Lisa patted her on the shoulder sympathetically. "I know how it is. If I hadn't had Shunsui as a play partner when I was his lieutenant, I probably would have been celibate." Nanao had to bite back a laugh, and Lisa chuckled. "Okay, maybe not. But I definitely didn't look for anything serious either." Her expression sobered. "Our lives are not conducive to long-term relationships."

"Shunsui and Juushiro do okay," Nanao argued, only realizing after the fact that she'd used both of their first names.

Lisa chuckled. "They do, but they've had their share of rocky times, from what they've told me. They're also the exception." She tipped her head to the side. "Most couples, if they succeed, end up very devoted to one another. But many shinigami avoid strong emotional entanglements on principle." She glanced sidelong at Nanao. "Do you know how many of us live to retire?"

Nanao blinked. "Um, I don't know if I've heard of a shinigami leaving the divisions like that," she said slowly.

"That's because it's incredibly rare," Lisa informed her sadly. "Either we die on duty or we keep on fighting. That's a tough thing for anyone to handle; knowing that your lover may very well die on their next patrol means that a lot of people avoid caring too strongly." A trace of sadness threaded through her words, though none showed on her face.

Nanao sighed, playing with the hem of her sleeve. "The average lifespan now, of an unseated officer once they join the Gotei 13, is less than a decade," she told her former mentor quietly.

Lisa's head snapped back. "That short? In my day it was closer to twenty years," she blurted out.

Nanao shook her head. "Not anymore. It's become more dangerous, and the human population keeps on growing. That means an increase in the number of hollows preying on their deaths. I'm sure you've noticed that around here."

Lisa snorted, and said dryly, "Honey, we've had an insane number of hollows around here in the past few years, but that was because of Ichigo and his friends, and their uber-powerful craziness." Nanao had to laugh at that one. Lisa chuckled as well, adding, "But now that I think about it, there has been a gradual increase in the number of hollows around." She glanced down pensively. "Ever since the second world war, it seems like the conflicts have gotten worse and worse."

Nanao couldn't quite hide her flinch. For a moment, the acrid smell of burnt flesh and melted brick filled her nostrils; the din of screaming soul reapers and howling hollows seemed to echo through the air. She blinked, and images of dying shinigami surrounded by hordes of desolate ghosts swam under her closed eyelids. Swallowing hard, she felt Lisa's comforting hand on her shoulder before the older soul reaper pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Nanao-chan, I didn't mean to trigger anything," she murmured contritely.

"It's alright," Nanao whispered around a lump in her throat. "It just… it hasn't gone away, even after all this time." So many dead, so many dying, all because of one weapon. _Sometimes I wonder if the humans will bring about the apocalypse through sheer stupidity_.

Lisa stroked her hair like she was petting a cat, and murmured, "That's alright. They say that time heals all wounds, but it's not true." Nanao could hear the regret in Lisa's tone when her mentor added, "Some things never really heal." There was a story behind there, Nanao could tell, but she didn't feel brave enough to inquire.

They walked in silence for several minutes after that, until Nanao huffed a sigh. "Alright, gloomy mood aside, I'm guessing you have a heap of questions to ask me." Her mentor's reiatsu practically vibrated with curiosity beside her.

Lisa chuckled. "Well, that's true. So, Shunsui finally got off his ass? What'd he say?" She smirked. "I bet Juushiro had to take over and force him to actually say what he meant."

"Pretty much," Nanao sighed. "I mean, he did a good job at first, but he seemed almost nervous."

The older vizard tilted her head to the side. "Really? Shunsui, nervous around a girl?" Her eyes narrowed. "He must really like you, then."

Nanao shrugged. "I guess. He certainly says he does, in the most flowery language possible, but he does tell a lot of girls that."

Lisa shook her head firmly. "That man is never nervous around women. Idiotic, often, but nervous? Doesn't happen." She grinned at Nanao. "Besides, I have it on excellent authority that he is head-over-heels for you. And if Juushiro's expression at Nightfire meant anything, he's the same way."

Heat spread across Nanao's cheeks as she blushed. "I guess so," she mumbled shyly. It still felt absurd to her – why would the two most powerful captains in the Soul Society have a romantic interest in her? There were plenty of highborn, wealthy ladies out there who would be delighted to dally with either man. Juushiro's illness might have scared some of them off, but anyone who looked at him could see the power shining through his skin – he had held his captainship for centuries for a reason. And Shunsui didn't even come with that drawback. _So why choose me, out of everyone who he might have had?_

Lisa slung an arm over her shoulders, projecting reassurance through her reiatsu. "I can tell what you're thinking," she teased gently. "Don't fret about it too much, alright? They both had excellent reasons to ask you out." She hesitated, then added, "I think you'll be very good together."

Nanao glanced up at her skeptically. "You really think so?" She couldn't quite get rid of the niggling fear that they'd wake up one day and decide that it had all been a big mistake.

The older vizard nodded confidently. "Of course!" She gave Nanao a conspiratorial grin. "Besides, Shunsui would fall apart without you to chivvy him into better behavior. And who else makes sure that Juushiro doesn't over-exert himself?" She snorted. "I've heard stories of his third seats… worse than useless if you ask me." She halted, pulling Nanao into a comforting hug. "But if either one of them ever hurts you, come tell me, okay?" The expression stretching her lips had too many sharp angles to be called a smile as she promised, "I'll make them regret it." The intensity left her tone as quickly as it had arrived, and she chuckled, "Not that I think they'll do that."

Nanao laughed along with her. "Yeah, I don't think it's very likely." Irrational fears aside, logic told her that both captains would cut off their own hands before they deliberately made her unhappy.

As they continued up the street, Lisa turned to her with a mischievous expression. "So," she began playfully.

Nanao winced. "Yeah?" she asked cautiously. She glanced around, realizing that they had made it back to the hotel without her noticing. The sun had sunk below the horizon, leaving the street lit with flickering streetlights. Before Lisa could continue, she asked, "Want to come up to the roof? I don't feel like being indoors right now." She rarely got a chance to enjoy a spring breeze underneath a dusky sky – watching the stars come out had been one of her favorite things to do as a child, but her duties as lieutenant tended to keep her in the office until late at night. The sky in the living world might look different than the one in the Soul Society, but she still wanted to take the chance to watch the stars.

"Sure," Lisa agreed. Her lips quirked. "But you're not getting off that easily. I want all the details!" Nanao groaned, but obediently began the tale as she led the vizard up the stairs.

* * *

Eventually the conversation petered out, and Lisa bid her a goodnight, but Nanao didn't want to go inside yet. Long after the vizard vanished from view, she remained on the rooftop, staring up at the sky and content to let her mind wander. One hand idly traced the turquoise stones of her silver bracelet, feeling the hum of the spells buzzing through the metal.

The black sky was carpeted with shimmering dots of light by the time the spring chill had seeped through her clothes, making her shiver. She stood, arching her back to stretch out knotted muscles. _Definitely time for bed_ , she thought tiredly. _I haven't gotten nearly enough sleep lately_. A whisper of sound in the distance made her turn her head, automatically tensing before laughing at her foolishness. There was no one in sight, nothing to be alarmed over. She turned back towards the stairway leading into the hotel, pushing her glasses back up her nose.

A white-hot flash of pain was her only warning before everything dissolved into darkness.


	31. No Damsel In Distress Here

**Author's Note:**

I apologize for the abominable lack of updates, I hope it won't happen again! The past few weeks leading up to finals have been insane, as all of my classes pile on final projects, essays, and exams. I think I spent over twenty hours a week on my user-centered design class alone over the last month. Thankfully, I graduate on Friday, so it's all over then! I promise to try to return to a weekly update schedule until this fic is finished. As it nears its conclusion, I've started thinking about a sequel, since I've deliberately left some threads untied. Would you be interested in reading one? I've learned a lot from writing this fic and my current creative writing class, so hopefully a sequel would be significantly better. Let me know if that sounds interesting or if you want more information on what it would entail!

Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 31:** **No Damsel In Distress Here  
**

Nanao woke an indeterminate amount of time later, head aching and hands numb. A bit of squirming confirmed that her wrists were locked behind her in icy metal cuffs that dug into her skin as she moved. They weren't too tight – she could still feel her fingers – but they were still effective. They were accompanied by a matching pair around her ankles, which looked like they had been cobbled together out of several smaller sets. Kido spells woven into the cuffs oozed over her skin attempting to leach away her reiatsu, but the sensation was faint and stifled somehow. It was as if something was blocking, or at least inhibiting, their pull. She cast her senses outwards, searching for the source of the unusual shield, and breathed a sigh of relief. _Thank you, Urahara!_ The silver bracelet's spells buzzed harshly against her skin, trapped underneath the cuffs. Apparently they could slow the action of the restraining cuffs – possibly because they sealed her reiatsu within her gigai, preventing the cuffs from absorbing it. Reiatsu blockers like the cuffs attempted to drain spirit energy from their victims, which was why they were often used on prisoners. But they couldn't drain the energy from amulets like Urahara's bracelet. The spells in the bracelet were providing a cushion between her personal energy and the draining kido; she'd never been more happy for a reiatsu limiter in her life.

 _First things first_ , Nanao ordered herself. _Get these cuffs off_. That posed a bit of a problem, as she couldn't access her kido while restrained. _However, if I can force the wards in Urahara's bracelet to expand, I may be able to slip out of the gigai_. Currently those wards prevented her from leaving the artificial body, rendering her helpless even as they protected her. If she turned Urahara's bracelet off, the cuffs would begin draining her, but if she simply pushed the spells outwards, she could hopefully create enough space to escape.

She flipped her vision into the peculiar state where the flow of spirit energy overlaid the real world, squinting as the powerful kido spells blazed. Several simple warning and locking kidos overlaid the heavy door, tracing out its contours. Their light was minimal, dwarfed by the glare coming from behind her back. The reiatsu limiters around her ankles held their own ominous gleam, but primarily registered as a dark void, edged in shimmering azure.

Ordinarily, kido spells wrought into an object were bound to the physical form of that object. That way, anyone could pick up something magical without worrying that the trapped energy would escape. However, a skilled kido master could convince the spells that they should flow elsewhere. It often felt like coaxing a particularly lazy, obstreperous cat to behave, but enough subtlety got the job done far more effectively than brute force.

Nanao smiled grimly, reaching out towards the braids of ebony around her ankles with a tiny drab of spirit energy. The kido eagerly snatched at the thin trickle of power, which she held tantalizingly just out of reach. The reiatsu blocker was not a particularly 'smart' spell, just inordinately powerful. It flowed like molasses as it bulged towards her thread of reiatsu, attempting to drag it into the ravenous void. She split the thread into a web, weaving it around the cuffs a hair away from the edge of the darkness.

The kido surged slowly, arching outwards as it tried to absorb the energy. Ordinarily, any unbound energy that came near a reiatsu limiting spell was consumed, becoming part of the power source of the kido. By preventing that from occurring, Nanao could slowly tempt the spell away from the metal. Like a horse blindly following a carrot, it wanted to fulfill its purpose and devour the reiatsu, and gradually left the safety of the cuffs to do so. The kido wasn't sentient, but it, like many long-lived spells, could be coaxed into acting like it possessed a primitive form of brain. As the draining kido expanded, she forced Urahara's spells to expand with it. They went willingly, recognizing her touch, but the draining spells fought her every inch of the way.

A half hour later, sweat dripped down Nanao's forehead as she panted, but the kido spells around her wrists and ankles had stretched out to a foot in diameter. The relief of pressure on her skin felt incredible. _Kajishizu, can you feel anyone nearby?_ she asked internally.

Her zanpakuto flared to life from within the safety of her gigai, peering out through her eyes. For a moment, dizziness engulfed Nanao as Kajishizu extended her senses outwards. _No_ , she reported cheerfully, relinquishing control to Nanao again. The slender soul reaper breathed a silent sigh of relief.

With a quick mental twist, she loosened her spirit from the gigai, pulling away slightly from the artificial flesh. The handcuffs, heavy on her wrists, tugged against her spirit, but without the magic imbued in them they were nothing more than inert metal jewelry. Like her clothes from the living world, they remained with the gigai.

Nanao conjured a seamless shield in between her skin and the rings of reiatsu limiters, which immediately began to greedily suck on the exposed power. While they were preoccupied with that, she slipped fully out of the gigai, allowing the shield to collapse behind her. The malicious kido snapped back into the handcuffs with a startled hiss. Nanao, safely across the room, smiled in satisfaction.

 _Now what?_ Kajishizu inquired curiously.

 _Now we escape_ , Nanao informed her mentally. A whisper of kido sent a glowing ball of energy to hover near the ceiling to provide illumination. She surveyed the room critically, taking in the concrete walls and thick metal door. _This wasn't intended to hold prisoners_ , she realized. Faint scuff marks on the floor bore testimony to the recent removal of several large pieces of furniture; the kido wards were fresh and hastily sketched. She sniffed. The scent of dust hung heavily in the air, underlaid by the faint smell of ozone from overworked kido. _No, this resembles an abandoned warehouse_ , Nanao decided. Probably an underground one, judging by the lack of windows.

 _Ooh, where are we?_ Kajishizu perked up, moving to the forefront of Nanao's mind. _Are we in a secret cavern or something?_

Nanao chuckled. _Let's find out_. "Spread your wings, Kajishizu," she whispered, laying a hand on the tanto concealed in her sleeve. The zanpakuto purred as she stretched, encircling Nanao's wrist and extending down her fingers. When the reiatsu cleared, Nanao bore a filigreed silvery bracelet with a chain leading to a tessen – a Japanese war fan. She snapped the fan open, feeling Kajishizu's weight settle into her palm. _Lovely_. Although she wasn't a melee weapon, Kajishizu complemented Nanao's preferred fighting style perfectly. The iron bones of the fan, reinforced with zanpakuto magic, were an effective weapon for both offense and defense, but the fan looked perfectly ordinary. The silk bore a design of fall leaves and dancing flames in auburn and copper, and the spiked tips were carefully concealed. Even her captain couldn't tell if she held a normal fan or Kajishizu in shikai form unless he focused closely on it. Nanao smiled grimly. Any element of surprise would help her now. _Alright, my lady, let's see what we can discover_.

Together, they expanded their senses, soaring through the maze of corridors surrounding their erstwhile prison. As always, Nanao had the eerie sensation of fiery wings expanding from her shoulder blades and wind rushing through her hair, though she was standing still. The nearest hallways were deserted, and had been in some time. Nanao's own perception could decipher that easily, simply by reading the traces of reiatsu left behind. Kajishizu possessed far more subtle senses, which she gladly shared with her soul reaper. To Nanao's eyes, borrowing Kajishizu's faculties painted the world in hues unknown in nature, colors that resembled the light show left by spirit energy.

 _Pretty_ , Kajishizu purred, admiring the delicate tracery of navy blues and muddy greens decorating the walls and floor. Nanao couldn't see the beauty in it, especially knowing that those colors represented the boredom and frustration of innumerable passerby, but her zanpakuto had always possessed a strange sense of aesthetics. Thankfully, the traces of emotions were far too faint for Nanao to experience echoes of the feelings.

That was the downside of Kajishizu's empathic powers. Any emotions she could detect, Nanao experienced, albeit in muted form. It provided her with plenty of practice tamping down unwanted feelings.

However, empathic detection was the lesser of Kajishizu's powers, and comparatively easy to control. There was a reason Nanao preferred to avoid using her shikai whenever possible.

 _I found someone!_ Kajishizu announced excitedly. _Can we take him?_

Nanao opened her mind to Kajishizu, receiving a bewildering flood of information. A mishmash of emotion and sensation crashed through her body before Kajishizu enveloped her in warmth, sorting the data into a comprehensible structure. A young man's mind brushed against hers, full of resentment and fear. Underlying it, however, was an iron sense of purpose, similar to the one Ichigo had carried the one time she'd surreptitiously touched him with her power. Hazy images of a hard-eyed girl accompanied the desire to protect, while a blurry vision of a pink-haired man was tied to the more negative emotions. Empathy wasn't telepathy – she couldn't read his thoughts – but emotionally charged images often bled through.

 _So?_ Kajishizu demanded. _He can let us free!_

Nanao winced. _There are better ways of escaping this prison_ , she admonished gently. _We don't need the help of a mortal_.

 _He's not a mortal_ , Kajishizu pointed out pragmatically.

Nanao probed more deeply. Sure enough, the man's reiatsu signature identified him as a resident of the Soul Society, wearing a badly-constructed gigai. _Now what is someone like him doing here?_ His uncontrolled spirit energy crashed tumultuously around him, hallmark of an untrained soul, so he couldn't be a soul reaper. But residents of the Rukongai had no way into the world of the living. And where had he gotten a gigai?

 _So can I play with him?_ Kajishizu begged, like a child asking for a sweet.

 _Only if I can't disable the wards_ , Nanao returned reluctantly.

 _But that'll be noisy, and this is much quicker_ , her zanpakuto argued.

Nanao sighed. Using this aspect of her power always left a sick feeling lying like a lump of lead in her stomach. But Kajishizu was right. The caster of the wards would certainly receive an alert as soon as she began tampering with them, leaving her little time to escape. Whereas someone on the outside could free her quickly and easily, without shattering the kido.

Biting her lip, she reached for the stranger's mind, Kajishizu hovering behind her. A delicate touch brought his resentment and discomfort to the forefront of his mind, drawing on the sense of honor he possessed to direct the emotions towards her. He hadn't been too comfortable taking a woman prisoner, so she amplified that unease. His fear of Szayelaporro tied into that perfectly. By the time she had finished, the stranger was walking steadily towards her prison, mind buzzing with worry. She could almost hear him thinking that he'd just go check on her and make sure Szayel hadn't hurt her.

Nanao positioned herself beside the door, where she'd be invisible to anyone opening the door. A mental flick damped her kido light, plunging the room into darkness. With a stunning spell held ready in her mind, she waited for the stranger to arrive.

* * *

Rokuro paced through the dimly-light corridors, hands compulsively clenching and relaxing around the dagger in his belt. The dingy concrete and flickering fluorescent lights, so different from honest wood and stone, served as a constant reminder of how far he was from home. He longed for the tranquil forests and bubbling streams of the Rukongai, not this noisy, smelly world. _But no_ , he thought savagely, _instead I'm stuck here obeying that creep_. The mere thought of the pink-haired man – who Rokuro suspected wasn't a man at all – made his heart beat faster.

 _Norio, I hope you know what you're doing_ , he thought worriedly. Their leader kept too many secrets for Rokuro's peace of mind. He'd found some benefactor somewhere, who'd introduced him to Szayel. Introduced may have been too strong a word – Norio refused to explain how he had initially contacted the pink-haired man. _But I heard them talking once, and Szayel was being all high and mighty. Reminded Norio that it was a lucky coincidence that they met, and that he was in a good mood. Doesn't sound like no introduction to me_. Norio said they had to obey him, but Rokuro wasn't sure if Norio knew any more about the man than his name. _It seems like someone else is calling the shots, not Norio or Szayel, neither_. He bared his teeth in a silent snarl.

Take the drug, for instance. What the hell did it do? They'd been selling it for weeks without any clear reason. But sometimes Szayel would disappear for a few hours, and come back grinning in that creepy way he had. They weren't allowed in his lab either, though he promised that he was making the weapons that they needed. _I sure hope so_ , he thought resentfully. _If we don't get those, no way in hell we'll be able to fight the shinigami_.

Admittedly, he didn't really want to kill the soul reapers, just make them see reason. Szayel, on the other hand, appeared sadistically gleeful about the prospect of massacring shinigami. _Like that slip of a gal we caught_ , Rokuro realized. _He seemed pretty damn happy 'bout that_. The whole mission had turned Rokuro's stomach, but he'd obeyed. Though she hadn't appeared to have more than a drop of reiatsu, Szayel had informed them that she was vital for his research, and so they'd snatched her. _Like trained dogs, no thought necessary_. Rokuro frowned. _What if that creep didn't actually need her? What if he just wanted a shinigami gal to play with?_ He could imagine all too easily the kind of tortures Szayel would find enjoyable.

 _Maybe I'll go make sure she's okay_ , he told himself, spinning on his heel and hurrying down the deserted hall. _I sure hope she is_.

* * *

Nanao ruthlessly controlled her breathing, forcing it into a steady four-count despite the nervousness that tightened her throat. She could feel the stranger drawing nearer, unrestrained reiatsu lashing through the corridors. He could have been a shinigami; he had the strength. _He even has a nascent zanpakuto spirit_ , Kajishizu informed her. _I can't talk to him though, he won't let me_.

 _You can do that?_ Nanao asked, momentarily distracted.

 _Of course_ , Kajishizu responded matter-of-factly. _We can always talk to other zanpakuto spirits unless they choose to block us. Even the ones that haven't been found yet_.

 _Good to know_ , Nanao replied absently. It would have been useful to know sooner, but there was no use berating Kajishizu for that. Her zanpakuto doled out information as she saw fit, and no amount of admonition would change that. _Can you talk to Sogyo no Kotowari or Katen Kyokotsu from here?_

She got a feeling of dubiousness in response. _Maybe_ , Kajishizu said slowly, _but they're pretty far away_.

Nanao sighed. She was positive that her captain would be frantic as soon as he noticed her disappearance, and she would have welcomed a way to reassure him.

Kajishizu fluttered anxiously, sensing her wielder's inner turmoil. _I'll try_ , she promised brightly. _I bet I can reach one of them if I try hard enough_.

 _Thank you_ , Nanao responded, sending her zanpakuto calm and reassurance. _But right now, let's focus on the task at hand_.

The stranger was almost at the door now. His spirit energy tasted of cinnamon and cloves, brushing across her skin like velvet. She tensed as the bolts slid back and the door creaked open. "Shinigami lady?" a tentative voice called, rough with the accent of the higher-numbered Rukon districts. "You okay?" He took a step inside the room, peering around blindly.

"I'm sorry," Nanao whispered as her stunning kido caught him squarely in the chest. He crumpled without a sound, instantly unconscious. She did her best to drag his limbs into a semblance of a comfortable position, leaving him lying in a corner of the room. He'd wake with a nasty headache, but no other injuries.

Stepping out into the corridor, she hauled the heavy door closed, but left the bolts open. _No reason to trap him_ , she thought soberly. _Who knows how long he'd be in there_. And judging by his spiritual pressure, he needed to eat fairly regularly. She wasn't about to condemn someone to possible starvation – she knew how painful constant hunger could be.

Industrial fluorescent lights buzzed above her as she walked through seemingly endless empty corridors. Numerous hallways branched off of her path, leading to more storerooms and yet more halls. The lack of windows quickly convinced her that she was underground, possibly deeply underground. She could feel several spiritual pressures in the immediate vicinity, but they were all above her. Unfortunately, the kido permeating the walls blocked her ability to detect far-away reiatsu, and all the concrete and steel provided a damping effect on her sensitivity to nearby souls. Though she knew Shunsui and Juushiro couldn't be too far away, she couldn't find a trace of them anywhere.

 _Kajishizu? Any luck?_ she inquired mentally.

 _Not yet_ , Kajishizu sighed unhappily. _The flower ladies aren't listening, and I can't get through to the ocean spirits at all_.

 _No matter_ , Nanao soothed her. _We can get out of here on our own_. But first they had to find the stairs. While Nanao could probably blast a hole in the ceiling, it would be incredibly noisy, and could potentially trigger a partial collapse of the building. Not an option she wanted to employ except as a last resort. _Time to go exploring_.

* * *

"Where is she?" Shunsui demanded for the hundredth time. He paced within the narrow confines of the hotel room like a caged tiger, unable to sit still. Urahara's bracelet glinted on his wrist, an irritating reminder of his inability to use his reiatsu.

"Shunsui, you're wearing a hole in the carpet," Juushiro told him with strained patience. "She's probably still with Lisa."

Shunsui sighed, flopping down into an overstuffed chair. "But they aren't answering their phones, and she was supposed to return a hour ago. It's not like her to be late."

Juushiro nodded. "I know." Worry infused his tone, though none showed on his face.

They sat in silence for a few minutes until a jangling tone interrupted the hush. Shunsui leapt for the phone resting on the desk. Punching the speaker button, he asked breathlessly, "Yes?"

Lisa's voice, distorted and tinny, came through the speakers. "I just got your messages. What's going on? What happened to Nanao?"

Shunsui blanched. "You mean she's not with you?"

Juushiro felt like the ground had disappeared beneath him when Lisa replied worriedly, "No, I left a while ago. She said that she wanted to enjoy the night air for a bit before heading in."

"Fuck!" Shunsui swore heatedly. Juushiro couldn't blame him. That meant no one had seen Nanao in over an hour. Anything could have happened.

"I'm coming over," Lisa said firmly. "I'll collect the rest of the vizards and meet you on the roof." The call ended with a crackle. Shunsui stared at the phone for a second before hurling it onto the bed. He swore inventively for several minutes, glaring at the device as though it held all the answers.

Then, with a sharp motion, he stripped off his bracelet. "Kisuke's plan clearly didn't work the way he wanted," he growled. "So screw this hiding."

Juushiro nodded, following suit. "Can you sense her now?"

Shunsui closed his eyes, extending his reiatsu. Juushiro felt the silky pressure slither around him, questing outwards. The pale captain released his own spirit energy, sending inquisitive tendrils towards Nanao's last known location. They soared through empty air, brushing against a few sleeping humans, but finding no trace of the young soul reaper. Juushiro extended the search, spreading his awareness over the city. Still nothing. Shunsui shook his head. "I can't find her." His lips stretched in a parody of his usual lazy grin. "But there are none of the markers associated with violence or death, and Nanao wouldn't go down without a fight. Someone must have taken her by surprise, but she's still alive."

"Which means she's probably still wearing Urahara's bracelet," Juushiro surmised. "We could search for years and not find a drop of her reiatsu."

"Ah, but we don't need to find her reiatsu," Shunsui said calmly. "Kisuke is a tricky bastard; I'm sure he has some way to track his own kido."

Juushiro smiled grimly. "Then let's go get him." Dropping his own bracelet carelessly on the bed, he lifted an eyebrow at Shunsui. "Are you doing alright?"

The flamboyant captain grinned humorlessly. "Of course I am. Nanao can take care of herself, after all." His calmness was a lie, and both he and Juushiro knew it, but Juushiro didn't call him on it. Coldly furious Shunsui was far preferable to panicking Shunsui. Juushiro offered him an approving nod, and Shunsui's lips tightened. "But I'm going to make the son of a bitch who took her pay." He calmly stepped out of his gigai, allowing the flesh shell to fall onto the bed. Removing his pink kimono and captain's haori, he folded them neatly and lay them aside. "I'm ready if you are."

Juushiro pulled away from his own gigai, placing the body next to Shunsui's. Clad again in his flowing black shihakusho and white haori, he regarded his lover approvingly. Without his typical ostentatious attire, the man looked dangerous and ready for anything. _He's just like a fancy dress blade, stripped of its gaudy ornamentation to reveal deadly folded steel_. Sogyo no Kotowari was a comforting presence at his left hip, while Katen Kyokotsu's dual sheaths adorned Shunsui's sash. Juushiro could feel the bloodthirsty zanpakuto's cruel anticipation mingling with Shunsui's eagerness and anger. The vicious mix of seething reiatsu roiled just beneath his skin, where only someone who knew him intimately could detect it.

Crossing the room, Juushiro placed both his hands on Shunsui's shoulders. "She will be fine. We'll get her back, just wait and see." Under his fingers, muscles tensed and relaxed.

"I know," Shunsui said softly. "I just…" He couldn't finish the sentence, but Juushiro didn't need him to.

"We'll get her back," he repeated fervently. His fingers tightened around Shunsui's arms. "We will." It was a promise to himself as well as his partner.

Shunsui cocked his head to one side. "They're here." The tense, dark reiatsu of the vizards drifted through the room, a silent call to arms. Shunsui smiled carelessly, drawing his masks back into place. "Ready to play?" He offered Juushiro an arm, as if he was escorting his lover to a dance.

Juushiro smiled wryly, yanking his partner into a hard kiss before releasing him with a fierce warning of, "Don't be stupid out there, all right?"

"Same goes for you, my dear," Shunsui replied flippantly. With that, they flashed onto the balcony, then onto the roof, where a grim assortment of vizards awaited them. Zanpakuto at every hip, reiatsu boiling; the small crowd was out for blood.

Urahara stepped forward, eyes shaded under his hat. "Lisa informed me of the situation," he told them succinctly.

"I trust you have a way of finding your bracelets?" Shunsui asked nonchalantly. He glanced around approvingly at the gathered vizards, who met his gaze with flashing eyes and feral grins. Hollows rode close to the surface in every expression; the air seethed with their unique spirit energy.

Urahara nodded, expression unreadable. "I do. What's more, I've been able to further narrow down the area where the vanishing souls end up. Combining the signal from Nanao-san's bracelet and the data from the sensors you all scattered allowed me to derive this." He unrolled a large map, handing a corner to Yoruichi, who took it without comment. The map depicted a section of Tokyo, near the northern edge of the city. An oblong area was marked in red, with a smaller circle in blue inside of it. The blue area was far smaller than the area Urahara had shown them all that afternoon. "The red represents the area where Nanao's bracelet may be," Urahara explained. "Something is shielding it from my detectors, so I cannot be precise. The blue circle is where my sensors have triangulated unusual activity in the spiritual pressure currents." He glanced at all of them. "The algorithm didn't have time to collect enough data to narrow it down further. But the best calculations I can make say that Szayel's lab must be somewhere in there."

Shinji eyed him skeptically. "That's still a pretty big area. Is there any way to narrow it down further?" He took a step closer to the map, only to freeze as something crunched under his foot. Stooping down, he retrieved a shattered piece of porcelain, tinted a delicate gold.

Shunsui's breath hissed out of him in a sharp exhalation. "That's part of the cat Nanao bought this afternoon," he snarled. Katen Kyokotsu's vicious bloodlust mingled with his own fury and terror, lending a savage edge to his own reiatsu.

Juushiro wrapped an arm around his shoulders and squeezed, enveloping his lover in soothing waves of spiritual pressure. "We'll find her," he murmured softly. Despite his calm façade, Shunsui could sense Juushiro's tight-lipped worry – it was the only thing that kept the flamboyant captain from lashing out at his partner.

Urahara tipped his head down. "So she was definitely taken." He sighed, turning to Shinji. "To answer your question, I cannot narrow it down further. Not without more time, at any rate." His head lifted. "However, in the industrial district, there's a large underground complex of warehouses that has been abandoned. It sits here." He indicated an area near the center of the blue ring. "It seems likely that Szayel, or his accomplices, would have coopted the complex as their own."

Lisa nodded crisply. "Then let's go get them."

"Don't be hasty," Urahara warned. "I don't know what's in there. If he has an army of doom beasts, we could be walking into a bloodbath."

Kensei grinned fiercely. "So we turn it around on them. There are thirteen captain-class fighters here right now, and none of us are restricted. We know how to fight together, how to use our skills together. Nothing can take us down easily." He punched his palm, eyes glowing with battle fever.

"True," Urahara allowed. "But it's still very dangerous."

Shinji quirked an eyebrow at the scientist. "You are coming with us, right, Kisuke?" he inquired sardonically.

Urahara fluttered his fan in front of his face. "Now, how could I turn down a chance to explore the lab of a brilliant espada like Szayelaporro? Mayuri had that pleasure last time, and I'd really prefer to study it on my own."

Shinji rolled his eyes. "Good enough."

"What are we waiting for?" Mashiro asked perkily. "Let's go!" Without waiting for an answer, she flashed away across the rooftops.

Kensei sighed. "That girl will drive me mad, I swear. Come on, let's catch her before she gets herself killed." He launched into shunpo as well, following his former lieutenant.

Shunsui grinned humorlessly. "Sounds like good advice to me!" He and Juushiro darted off, matching each other's pace with the ease of long practice. The vizards and residents of the shoten followed, a blurred whip cracking across the rooftops of Tokyo.


	32. Dissolution

**Author's Note:**

So, my 4-month-old laptop recently decided to turn itself into a shiny, expensive brick, and will remain one for the foreseeable future. I think it's a hardware failure, but I'm not sure. Tech support was rather unhelpful, but they're having me send it back to them so they can try to repair it. Thankfully, all of my stories are stored in the cloud, so I haven't lost anything there, but I still might lose a fair amount of other data. It's been an object lesson for me to back up everything, even things that I don't think are important.

Because of this disaster, this update is significantly shorter than usual. I apologize, and I hope to return to normal shortly. At least it's on time, right?

Thank you to Snowkid and Starscape91 for their lovely and encouraging reviews; it's because of you that this chapter exists!

* * *

 **Chapter 32: Dissolution**

Darkness. No light, no sound, no scent, just darkness. It weighed down her limbs and wrapped oily tentacles through her hair, lapping at her skin like a wolf savoring its next meal. Each breath dragged it into her lungs, choking her on its cool slime. The space between inhales stretched out to eternity.

When had she closed her eyes? They were closed, weren't they? Or had she simply lost the ability of sight to the ever-present darkness?

No. She pried her eyelids open, struggling against their immense weight. The dim sparks of light that hit her pupils burned like acid. She wanted to scream, but nothing escaped from her clenched throat. A gurgling inhale sucked more of the thick darkness into her body, and she felt her head spinning dizzily.

Unbidden, a name floated to the surface of her mind. Nezumi. She clung to it like a drowning swimmer clutching a rock in the middle of the rapids, desperately repeating it to herself over and over. Nezumi. Nezumi. Nezumi.

There was something she was supposed to do, wasn't there? School, maybe? She couldn't remember. Thoughts slipped through her fingers like grains of sand, darting away from her grasp whenever she tried to focus on them. Names and faces drifted into her mind, swimming in front of her blurry vision before the darkness swallowed them whole. Was she supposed to recognize them? She didn't think she would recognize her own face, at this point.

"They're coming!" The gleeful announcement burrowed into her brain, and she dragged her gaze to the strange pink-haired man who paced in front of her prison. He was cackling to himself maniacally as he fiddled with a handheld device riddled with buttons. "Fools!" The sound clawed gouges into her brain.

She peered at him blurrily, unable to focus on his wavering silhouette for very long. His pink hair throbbed in her vision, pulsing like a strobe light, while his white-clad limbs shimmered in and out of existence. Was he a ghost? Was he even real? Her thoughts felt like they were moving through molasses. She knew that that should frighten her, but emotions felt distant and unimportant. Everything was covered in a dull blanket of fog that smothered feeling and slowed thoughts down to a turtle's crawl.

She blinked slowly, shuddering as the darkness engulfed her for long minutes until she could force her eyelids back open. They were the only part of her body that could still move; she had lost feeling in her limbs an unknown amount of time previously. She could tell that they still existed, in an abstract sort of sense, but they were numb and disconnected from her body. The darkness was all that held her upright.

By the time she managed to regain vision, the stranger had moved to stand next to a large console. A fresh wave of dizziness surged through her as he stabbed a button with his elongated fingers, making a large screen light up. "Time to play!"

He ran his fingers lovingly over the screen, which showed a video of shadowy figures bounding across the skyline. She struggled to make out more than the broad outlines as he mused, "Let's see. I've got data on you from the recorders I embedded in Starrk, but you didn't do much in that fight." The words made no sense, but he was still talking. "It's a pity Wonderweiss took you out so early, your sword has fascinating powers," he muttered, fingers flashing across the keys. "Still, I'll get to analyze it first hand now. And of course you brought your lover… he won't be a problem. He showed his hand already, and damping those blades shouldn't be too hard." He smirked. "They called me crazy for taking all those precautions, but now who's laughing? I'm still alive, and they're dead, dead, dead!" The screech rang throughout the room, lancing through her head and sending a shock wave through the darkness. The pain came to her slowly, as though it was the memory of an injury from long ago, as the stranger calmed down. "The vizards, bastard children that they are, yes…" He trailed off, voice too low for Nezumi to hear. "Ah, it looks like everyone's come out to dance today!" he purred, breaking into a sadistic giggle. "I'll have so much fun with all of you!" He ran a finger over the console, eyes glowing with excitement and madness in equal measure.

Her eyes fell closed again; it felt like they had turned to stone. As she dragged another liquid breath into her lungs, she thought she felt a tear slip down her cheek. Why was she crying? There wasn't any reason to cry; she didn't feel sad or upset. Just numb, immersed in a false calm that turned her blood to ice.

Was she crying for the people on the screen, or herself? They were still free – they shouldn't come here and lose that. She didn't know them, but she knew that much. The knowledge resonated in her bones, a visceral reaction to the insanity of the situation.

Maybe she was crying for both herself and them. She couldn't tell, and her mind was slipping further and further into the darkness. She just wanted to go home. _Please, can I go home now?_ She couldn't remember where home was, but that didn't matter. From the depths of her memory, she could dredge up the scent of cooking fish and burning incense, and that was enough. _I want to go home!_

Abruptly, the man looked at her, eyes shining with a crazed light. "Don't worry, little one, you'll be out of your misery soon enough," he promised pleasantly. "Not that you can understand me," he mused, chuckling. "You inferior beings are truly pathetic. It will be a pleasure to wipe you all out from existence, and then massacre my current 'employers'." He snickered. "You'll be a vital part of that, you know?"

His pronouncement should have scared her, but she couldn't bring herself to care. A soft fog had enveloped her mind, soothing away all of her worries and cares. The name that she had clung to so fiercely oozed away, and the dull nothingness took its place.

It was dark again.

"Yes, all of you will be quite important," he laughed. "Of course, you won't be around to know it, but I do thank you for your assistance." He laughed, turning away from her. "It'll all be over soon."


	33. Battle Royale

**Author's Note:**

And now, I return you to your regularly scheduled programming with this special weekend update!

* * *

 **Chapter 33: Battle Royale**

Juushiro, Shunsui, and the others landed silently in the shadows next to a barbed-wire fence, reiatsu wrapped tightly around them. Warning signs hung askew from the rusting fence poles, and several sections of the mesh had been ripped away. A gentle breeze toyed with trash littering the street next to them. A block away, a streetlight flickered dimly, providing the only illumination of the scene. The area was completely deserted; only the distant screech of an owl broke the silence. One lone car sat across the street, but its shattered windows and flat tires proved that it had been abandoned a while ago.

"Is this it?" Love whispered.

Urahara stepped forwards. "This is the edge of the zone marked in blue. From here on in, there are powerful shields in place. I'm sure you can feel them." Juushiro nodded. The subtle kido mimicked the natural environment almost perfectly, but its minor imperfections grated against his honed senses. Hachi and Tessai nodded as well, but the others just looked confused. Urahara waved a hand. "No matter. From here, however, we are in enemy territory."

Shinji jerked his head upwards. "Full alert. Right," he said curtly.

"Treat this like a mission to Hueco Mundo," Urahara warned.

"We know," Mashiro complained. "Can we go now?" Kensei smacked the back of her head, hissing at her to shut up. She glared at him, but complied.

By unspoken consent, Kensei and Love took the lead – their zanpakuto made them the most suited for a head-to-head confrontation. Yoruichi vanished into the darkness to act a scout, while the four kido masters summoned their most powerful shielding spells. The remaining vizards assembled into a loose formation to act as side and rear guards. No one released their zanpakuto yet, but it was only a matter of time before that changed. Shunsui could feel Katen Kyokotsu clamoring for blood in his head, urging him to release them. The ladies were restless, and eager to play their deadly games against worthy opponents. The vizards must have felt the same way, for he could feel their hollow-tinged reiatsu rising.

Shunsui followed Love and Kensei as they slunk through the shadows next to the massive buildings for several minutes before Kensei flung up a hand. "There's a door," he hissed harshly.

Urahara peered around the muscular vizard. "Tessai?" The former kido corps commander joined him as they lifted their hands towards the doorway. Light sparkled around their fingertips as they chanted something too quietly for Shunsui to hear, though he could feel their power vibrate through his bones. Just as Mashiro was beginning to shift restlessly, Urahara lifted his head. "It's safe." He pushed the door open, wincing at the creak of rusty hinges. "But inside may not be."

"We got it," Shinji drawled as he passed the former captain. "We're not kids like Ichigo and his friends, you know." Urahara nodded absently, holding the door open for the rest of the group to pass through. Shunsui got the distinct impression that the former captain was barely listening to them.

The inside was dusty and spacious, an echoing expanse of shadows and concrete. A few beams of moonlight stabbed through holes in the roof far above them. With the walls shrouded in darkness, Shunsui couldn't see another door, but several footprints on the floor led deeper into the warehouse, so there had to be a way forward.

"Can anyone sense anything?" Love asked quietly.

Juushiro shook his head. "There's still something blocking me," he murmured. "But it feels like the shielding is heavier below us."

Urahara nodded. "That matches my predictions. Now, if my blueprints are correct, there should be a stairwell in that corner." He held up a dimly-glowing screen, motioning to the far right corner.

It was a narrow, cramped stairway, which forced them to travel in single file, but it got them to the lower level. They exited into a hallway, nearly as narrow, lit by flickering fluorescent lights placed sporadically along the ceiling. "Now why is there electricity in an abandoned building?" Lisa asked interestedly.

"Because Kisuke was right. This is his base," Yoruichi replied, appearing out of nowhere. Hiyori jerked back with an angry hiss, and Rose jumped.

"You are too damn quiet," Shinji grumbled, though he didn't appear particularly startled.

Yoruichi ignored him. "Follow me, and be careful." They filed along behind her, gripping their zanpakuto tightly. Katen Kyokotsu sang in the back of Shunsui's mind, anticipation flavoring her tone with bloodlust. Shunsui stroked her hilt soothingly, and she subsided, but he could still taste the acid of her excitement in the back of his throat.

As Yoruichi led them down another staircase, the tension in the air grew heavier. Reiatsu blanketed the walls and floor, mingled with an unusual form of kido energy that Shunsui had never felt before. Distinctly hollow spirit energy had combined with shinigami power to form spells with a uniquely disturbing flavor. _Even arrancar reiatsu doesn't feel this creepy_. Starrk's spiritual pressure had felt positively pristine when compared to the oily energy around them now.

Abruptly, the pressure spiked, and Yoruichi flung up a hand. They halted instantly. "What's up?" Shinji inquired, forced nonchalance in his tone.

Yoruichi tilted her head to the side, eyes slitted as she peered at the empty corridor ahead. "Something's not right," she murmured slowly. "Kisuke?"

Urahara flung out a hand, sending a wave of power cascading down the corridor. Strands of light flared to life, lightning quick, before dying just as rapidly. Shunsui blinked furiously against the glowing afterimages. "What was that?" he asked, startled.

Hiyori punched Urahara in the arm. "Warn us before you do something like that, will you?"

Urahara smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. But there's definitely a trap here."

"It looked like one of those laser traps from bad action movies," Lisa commented in amusement.

"If only that meant it had a handy little switch to turn it off," Shinji joked. "Then Yoruichi could slip through the wires like one of those latex-clad heroines and save the day." Yoruichi laughed, grinning at Shinji, who smirked back at her.

Shunsui furrowed his brow, studying the net stretched across the corridor. Now that Urahara had revealed its presence, he could see the faint outlines of the strands crisscrossing the concrete. It didn't cover more than twenty feet, but there had to be a hundred different lines in the small space. He couldn't tell what would happen when someone touched them, but it had to be nasty. _Possibly an explosion like the ones from the web that Urahara's Benihime can create_.

 _Or poison gas, or knives, or a kido death spell_ , Katen Kyokotsu added sardonically. _Or a hundred other vicious traps. Of course, the trap does require us to touch the strands_ …

Shunsui grimaced at the note of eagerness in her mental voice. She adored slipping through the shadows, unseen and untouchable until they emerged from the blackness. He wasn't nearly so sanguine about it. Still, shadow jumping was an easy way through the hall, if the others would allow it.

He turned to face the group, doing his best to conceal a grimace, and caught Juushiro's gaze. The pale captain sighed, but nodded, not needing words to know what his lover wanted. "Guys, I have a way through," Shunsui announced. Juushiro stepped to his side, silently volunteering to go first.

"Yeah?" Shinji inquired skeptically.

"I can use the shadows to bring everyone to the other side, one at a time," Shunsui explained, drawing both of Katen Kyokotsu's blades. "Like this." Everyone stepped back as he flourished them. "Flower Wind Rage and Flower God Roar, Heavenly Wind Rage and Heavenly Demon Sneer. Katen Kyokotsu!" She laughed triumphantly as the blades morphed into heavy black scimitars, edged in gleaming silver and laden with cruel anticipation. _Now, play nice_ , he admonished her silently. _These are our allies, and we need them to survive this_. She pouted, but he could feel her agreement.

 _The others wouldn't let me play with them anyway_ , she grumbled petulantly. Shunsui ignored the odd comment. So long as she helped him, she could be as grumpy as she wanted. "Juushiro?" he asked, offering a hand to his lover. Juushiro took it, wrapping long fingers around his wrist so Shunsui could keep a firm grasp on Katen Kyokotsu's hilt. "Kageoni."

The initial transition into shadow felt like diving into a frozen lake. Deadly cold wrapped around them, tendrils prying at the connection between their hands. Shunsui felt Juushiro gasp, stifling coughs, and winced. It wasn't the first time Shunsui had used this particular trick to slip past obstacles, but he had forgotten what a toll it took on his partner. Wrapping his reiatsu around Juushiro, he did his best to speed their travel along.

From the shadow world, everything appeared covered in a grimy film. Color leached away, and spirit energy currents blurred the details of the scene. The web shone in muted violet, emanating menace. But the strands couldn't touch them so long as they remained a part of the shadows. Shunsui wrapped an arm around Juushiro's shoulders, awkwardly maneuvering his blades to avoid cutting the white haired captain, and pulled them forward.

When they emerged from the darkness, Juushiro fell to his knees, coughs wracking his thin frame. Shunsui knelt beside him, rubbing his back soothingly. "I'm sorry, Juu," he murmured sadly. "I didn't realize it would be that bad."

Between coughs, Juushiro gasped, "Not your fault."

That didn't alleviate Shunsui's guilt when he saw the speckles of red on Juushiro's fingers. "It's a bad one, isn't it?" he asked rhetorically.

"Not… good," Juushiro managed. After far too long, the fit subsided, but the slender captain remained kneeling for a moment longer. With his head bowed so his long hair concealed his face, Shunsui couldn't tell what he was thinking. "Damn it," Juushiro muttered in frustration. "Not now."

"We've got time," Shunsui reassured him. "Rest, regain your strength. Better to take a bit longer now and be at full strength later." His heart ached to see his lover in pain, but there was nothing he could do to help, and he knew it. _At least I can make sure that he gets enough rest; that should help a bit_.

Juushiro's shoulders slumped, but he couldn't deny the truth of Shunsui's words. Lifting his head, he urged Shunsui, "Go. Get everyone else over here. I'll be fine." He hauled himself to his feet, leaning on Shunsui's shoulder for support. "I mean it."

Shunsui eyed his lover worriedly. "You sure?" Juushiro gave him a stern look, and Shunsui grinned sheepishly. "Hey, you can't blame me for worrying." He pulled Juushiro into a tight hug, inwardly rejoicing at the strength in his lover's grip.

"Yes, I can, when you're being a mother hen," Juushiro muttered halfheartedly. He embraced Shunsui a moment longer before stepping back. "Now go get everyone else."

"Yes, sir!" Shunsui replied. Before Juushiro could do more than glare at him, he vanished into the shadows again.

Twenty-two trips later, Shunsui was gasping for breath and feeling like he'd never be warm again, but everyone was on the other side of the trap. Juushiro wrapped his haori around his shoulders, which Shunsui accepted gratefully. Apart from being warm, the white fabric held his lover's scent. Shunsui inhaled dizzily, barely feeling Juushiro's arm around his waist keeping him upright.

 _We are never doing that again_ , Katen Kyokotsu snarled grouchily. _I am not a pack horse_. She had apparently forgotten – or chosen to ignore – that it had been her idea in the first place.

Too tired to be snarky, Shunsui simply replied with a sincere thank you. Surprised, Katen Kyokotsu subsided into silence. Shunsui could feel her pleasure in the back of his mind, albeit muted by her own exhaustion. Privately, he agreed with her; that had been rather unpleasant.

"Shunsui? Are you alright?" Lisa asked, coming to stand in front of him. Other than a faint green tinge to her skin, she looked perfectly healthy. Several of the other vizards weren't so lucky – Love had nearly thrown up, and Hachi was shivering miserably.

Shunsui nodded, then winced as his head started to pound. Despite that, he replied, "I'm fine." In the grand scheme of things, a headache was on the level of a mosquito bite. Lisa eyed him skeptically, but didn't protest his assessment.

"How is everyone else?" Juushiro asked practically.

Urahara looked up from where he knelt over Hachi. "Everyone should be perfectly fine in a few minutes," he said reassuringly. "That is a fascinating technique, however. Would you be willing to work with me later, to see if there's a way to reproduce it?" he asked Shunsui eagerly.

Yoruichi slapped him on the back of the head. "Focus on the current mission now, figure out scientific experiments later," she admonished. He gave her a wounded look, but obediently returned his attention to the kido master under his hands.

Shinji stepped forward, abandoning his post against the wall. "Alright, then. Lisa, Hiyori, front guard. Rose, Kensei, Mashiro, rear guard. Juushiro, could you take a look at Love?" Juushiro nodded, and Shinji continued, "Let's not let our guards down. For all we know, there could be doom beasts just around the corner."

"You just had to say that," Shunsui complained dramatically. "Now we're sure to be attacked!"

Lisa threw him a dirty look, and Juushiro murmured, "Don't tempt fate, please."

A mad cackling echoed from the walls. They all looked around wildly as a voice snickered, "Oh, please do. Thank you for the wonderful entrance line, captain." Dust sifted down from the ceiling as concrete ground together. Lisa and Hiyori jumped backwards just in time to avoid the blocks crashing to the floor. Juushiro held his sleeve over his mouth, staving off another coughing fit.

The dust cleared slowly, revealing a pair of hulking doom beasts flexing their claws in the rubble. "And the monsters enter from stage left," the voice announced merrily. Kensei snarled.

The monsters snarled back.

"Oh, fuck," Hiyori bit out.

"Now, enjoy my pets," the invisible voice commanded mockingly. "I created them just for you." Urahara snapped a command, sending flickering lightning at the walls. A hidden speaker popped and hissed. "Now, that wasn't very nice," the voice chided from farther away.

Any further banter was forestalled when the leading doom beast launched itself at Lisa with a roar. The slender vizard threw herself to the side, yanking on her mask as the monster hurtled past her. Kensei caught it on Tachikaze's blade, driving the tanto deep into its ribcage. It raked at him with wickedly sharp claws, catching him a glancing blow to the side before he threw it down the corridor. It bowled over its comrade, who was just beginning to attack, but both monsters were on their feet within moments.

Tessai waved a hand over the shallow gash on Kensei's ribs, sealing it instantly, while Lisa, Hiyori, Rose, and Shinji assumed guard positions in the front. Juushiro hauled Love, who was clutching his stomach, to the side; Urahara did the same for Hachi. Yoruichi and Shunsui stationed themselves in front of the healers, and the battle was on.

The first doom beast lunged for Shinji, who dodged to the side with a grimace. Hiyori slashed down at its exposed neck as it hurtled past, leaving a wide gash. The doom beast spun, ignoring the wound, only to be caught by the whip crack of Rose's zanpakuto. He cut cleanly through its bone-covered face, and it roared.

"These ones are more vocal than normal," Shinji commented as he shunpoed past Rose to clash with the second doom beast. They traded several blows before Lisa struck from behind, driving her zanpakuto straight down into the creature's head. It reared back, flailing wildly, and she skipped backwards. Rose wrapped his Kinshara around its neck and yanked hard. It stumbled backwards, falling awkwardly onto the row of spikes on its spine and exposing its belly to Shinji's strike.

Before he could attack, however, the other doom beast threw itself at his back. Kensei met it head-on, punching it with the hilt of his Tachikaze. Momentarily stunned, it failed to evade Yoruichi's roundhouse kick to the head. As it fell, Shinji caught it on his Sakanade, slipping the katana between its ribs. It lashed out viciously, catching him on a claw despite his efforts to dodge in the cramped corridor. Behind him, the downed doom beast rose to its feet, attacking as well.

Shinji flashed away, and the two monsters collided with a roar. Tessai snagged him by the wrist, starting a simple healing kido, while the other vizards pounded mercilessly at the doom beasts. "Now, you know better than that," the former kido corps commander scolded when Shinji complained.

A sudden screech made them all look up, eyes wide. Hiyori arched her head back, screaming, as a cero exploded from her mask. It smashed through the doom beast in front of her, leaving a sizzling hole, and nearly collided with Shinji and Tessai. They dove aside, and Shinji yelped, "Watch where you're pointing that thing, moron!" He started to scold her more from his sprawl on the floor, until he noticed the claw protruding from her stomach. With a vicious curse, he shunpoed into the melee, grabbed her body, and flashed away. She snarled weakly at him, snapping that she didn't need his help, but the blood pouring from her stomach told a different story.

Shinji passed her to Tessai, who gently laid her on the floor and summoned healing into his hands. "Damn it, Hiyori, why do you always get hurt?" Shinji growled. He was clearly trying to sound angry, but Shunsui could hear a thin thread of worry underneath the fury.

She glared at him. "Shut up, dumbass."

"Please don't talk, Hiyori-san," Tessai reprimanded gently. He turned his penetrating gaze on Shinji. "Do not annoy my patients." Grumbling under his breath, Shinji flashed back to the fight. Love, freed of his nausea, followed.

Juushiro studied the flurry of motion in the corridor with a critical eye. The combatants moved like lightning, shunpoing into and out of range, but their maneuvers were hampered by the tight confines of the hallway. Both Lisa and Rose had sustained minor injuries; it was only a matter of time until someone was more seriously hurt. "This is foolish," he remarked, gathering kido power into his hands.

Shunsui eyed him askance. "Juu-chan, what are you planning?"

"We need more space," Juushiro replied calmly. Spinning on his heel, he snapped, "Hado 54: Haien!" Throwing out a hand towards the nearest wall, he sent a disk of violet energy crashing through the concrete. With a rumble, the blocks burst into dust. Kensei took advantage of the destruction to heave a doom beast through the newly-created hole. Shunsui yelped in surprise as the monster hurtled past him.

"Warn us, will you?" he called as a blast of blue fire followed the doom beast's trajectory. Kensei shrugged in response.

"Hey, Juushiro, can you get the other wall too?" Lisa yelled, panting. Twisting and tumbling around, she needed every bit of her acrobatic skill to stay ahead of the creature lumbering after her. Shinji and Rose harried it from both sides, but it seemed peculiarly intent on her.

"What did you do to it?" Shunsui inquired, flashing to her side as Juushiro took out the other wall.

"Called its mother a pig?" Lisa offered facetiously. "I don't know, really. But I can handle it."

Shunsui bowed to her flamboyantly, taking the hint. "Of course, dear Lisa-chan!"

In the adjacent hallway, a roar resounded, and Love hastily snapped, "Crush down, Tengumaru!" Shunsui dodged as the wall beside him shattered from the force of a doom beast smashing into it at full speed. Love and Kensei followed, battering the monster while they had the chance.

Hiyori, abdomen whole again, yelled, "Put your giant spiky cactus away! There's not enough room here!"

Love glanced over, abashed – Tengumaru scraped the ceiling and walls with every blow, and had forced everyone to scatter. "Sorry!" he called, forcing Tengumaru back into katana form.

An ominous grinding sounded from above them, and dust sifted down from the hole in the ceiling. Even the doom beasts paused to look up warily. "Please tell me that there aren't more of them," Shinji sighed.

"I don't think that's what's happening," Urahara said slowly. One hand tightened on Benihime's hilt, almost unnoticeably. Spiritual pressure surged around him, followed by answering reiatsu swells from the other kido masters.

Hachi sat up, pale but resolute. "If everyone could move back?" he asked calmly. They all flashed to stand behind him, maneuvering to form a semicircle bristling with weaponry. Tessai helped Hachi to his feet, then laid his hands on the vizard's shoulders. Juushiro could sense the reiatsu flowing between them, an unbroken river of power. Hachi wove the energy in with his own, directing it towards the ceiling.

The doom beasts stared at them dumbly for a second before shuffling forward menacingly. Juushiro and Urahara threw barriers in their way, slowing them down momentarily. They latched onto the reiatsu almost immediately, forcing the shinigami to dissipate their kido, but the brief pause gave Hachi a chance to finish his spell. Orange light coalesced above them, forming into a glowing umbrella that hummed with power.

The ceiling rumbled ominously. Both doom beasts leapt forward, claws extended towards the nearest soul reapers. Fiery blasts from Juushiro and Urahara caught them mid-leap, sending them tumbling backwards. They wailed, the sound crackling through the air like a banshee scream.

With a ferocious grating roar, the ceiling collapsed on top of them.

Juushiro doubled over, hand covering his mouth, as dust billowed out from the rubble. Curses from the assembled vizards scorched the air. Hachi's orange shield protected them from the falling concrete, but did nothing for the choking dust filling the corridor. The doom beasts, caught squarely under the tons of rock, made no sound.

Shunsui hurried to his lover's side and ran a soothing hand over Juushiro's back. The pale captain smiled gratefully at him. "Are you alright?" Shunsui murmured worriedly. Two coughing fits in such a short amount of time always boded ill.

"Fine," Juushiro reassured him, breathing shallowly.

"Are they dead?" Love asked, staring at the massive pile of wreckage blocking the corridor.

Urahara shrugged helplessly. "No way to tell for sure."

The disembodied voice answered him, snickering. "Don't worry, I have plenty more!" They all looked around, teeth bared, as he continued, "You're doing very well so far, so I suppose I should increase the difficulty of the game. Please, proceed on your way. Your next challenge will be with you shortly."

"Is he insane?" Hiyori muttered in a loud whisper.

Rose shrugged fluidly. "By the standards of society, almost certainly. However, would he consider himself insane? That is a more intriguing question." Love rolled his eyes pointedly at Rose, and the blond vizard shut up.

"Well, we may as well continue," Shinji said resignedly. "Keep an eye out for traps, everyone." He eyed the pile of rubble in front of them wryly. Kido sparked around his hands before he sighed and extinguished the flames. "We're not getting around this," he said to no one in particular.

Hachi shrugged. "Not a problem." He pointed towards the gap in the wall created by Love's Tengumaru. "There are traces of reiatsu that way that may lead somewhere useful."

Urahara unrolled his blueprints, which had somehow survived the fight intact. A quiet word sent a small orb soaring above his head, where it hovered, emitting a soft glow. "Let's see," he mused. "Yes, there's another stairway at the end of that corridor. That should lead to the lowest level of the building, or at least the lowest that's on my blueprints." He narrowed his eyes pensively. "I wonder if that's where he wants us to go?" If so, did they want to go a different route?

Yoruichi stepped through the gap, looking around cautiously. Glancing back at Urahara, she called, "So does he want a grand confrontation, or to lead us on a wild goose chase?"

Juushiro coughed harshly, and everyone looked at him worriedly. He waved them off, saying, "I'm fine, truly." He patted Shunsui's hand where it rested on his shoulder. "I believe he wants a confrontation," the white-haired captain said slowly. "That would fit his actions up to this point."

"It's how he treated Renji and Uryu as well," Urahara agreed. "He lured them in to an area where he had complete control, then attempted to destroy them."

Yoruichi propped a hand on her hip. "He's playing cat and mouse. And do I need to remind you that he can hear us?"

Kensei threw up his hands in disgust. Stalking over to the gap where Yoruichi stood, he kicked a bit of rubble out of the way, and announced, "I'm going this way, since it seems like there's not much choice. Anyone else coming?"

Mashiro skipped after him, grinning happily. Love and Rose exchanged glances. "Sure, I guess," Love replied, following Rose over to Kensei and Mashiro.

Urahara shrugged. "If that's what you all want." He strode over to the battered wall, trailed by the rest of the vizards and shinigami. "Just be careful."

Hiyori rolled her eyes in annoyance. "We know! Stop saying that already!"


	34. Games People Play

**Author's Note:**

My laptop still languishes somewhere in Dell's support labs, but hopefully I'll have it back soon. Please forgive any typos that may have originated from writing this chapter on an iPad!

* * *

 **Chapter 34: Games People Play  
**

Szayelaporro stabbed a button with his elongated fingers, snickering to himself. "Oh, good, little shinigami, come play," he whispered. The screen displaying the rubble left behind from the fight flickered for a moment before changing to a silent video of the shinigami walking cautiously through barren corridors. Szayel stroked the screen like he was petting a favored dog, eying the group as he licked his lips. "You lesser races need to be wiped out of existence; I'll start with you." He spun in his chair to face the rows of cylinders filled with glowing green liquid. Misty forms floated within each one, some barely recognizable as human. The more recent ones retained a humanoid form, albeit with blurred extremities, but the spirits he had collected first were mere balls of energy now.

Szayel smirked. "Now, it's your turn to perform," he announced to the silent hall grandly. No one answered, but he wasn't expecting that. His minions from the Soul Society were patrolling the corridors, and weren't allowed down here anyway. The trio of men had been quite helpful, within the limitations of their race, but their usefulness was coming to an end. He might allow them to live, though. Once he revealed the doom beasts to them, they could spread tales of his power throughout the Soul Society. Terrified people were much more fun to toy with.

He glanced over at the shimmering portal hanging in the air in the corner. The ragged edges swirled in and out, sometimes fading from sight entirely, but the magical construction was solid. The gate led to a remote area of the Rukongai, near where Szayel had found the first of the disgruntled souls who were helping him. He chuckled to himself. They were even more foolish than his temporary employers! They thought he would help them, because he made no secret of his hatred for shinigami, but they never bothered to ask themselves if he hated them, too. Szayel's eyes narrowed. _The shinigami will be the first to die, but none of you will be spared_. He fingered the ornate collar wrapped around his neck. _Especially not the ones arrogant enough to believe they can control me. I am far superior to them, and they will learn this fact before they perish_.

The collar wasn't as strong as they thought, but it still restricted his ability to act directly against the men who held the keys to it. They had ordered him to build the same protections into his creations as well, and he had smiled and nodded. Let them think he would obey them. They would find out differently when the monsters they thought to control targeted them first. Only he could control the creatures, and that was as it should be.

Szayel smiled sadistically. He could almost taste the hot iron of their blood as the monsters ripped into their bodies, rending flesh and shattering bone. The sound of their screams would be music to his ears. Then he frowned. _But I have to take care of these intruders first_. Rising with sinuous grace, he glided over to the nearest cylinder. The spirit inside floated in an ivy miasma, a vague oblong shape with no limbs or head remaining. Szayel twisted a dial on the side of the tube, and a violet liquid began to course down a pipe into the main body of the vessel. When it touched the spirit, electricity sparked in a coruscating wave down the glass.

The former espada nodded approvingly. Everything was proceeding according to plan. He turned away from the hapless soul, already beginning to sprout bone plates and long claws, and strode over to the next cylinder. Behind him, a tortured screech rent the air.

* * *

In the lowest levels of the subterranean complex, Nanao froze as she heard the distant sounds of falling rubble. _Kajishizu?_ she asked silently. _What can you sense?_

Her zanpakuto vanished from her perception for a moment, then reemerged. _I cannot contact the flower lady or the ocean lords, but they are near_ , she told her soul reaper, the faint hint of a laugh threading through the words. Nanao nodded, but Kajishizu wasn't finished. In a much more sober tone, she added, _However, there is another being closer to us, who would best be avoided_.

Nanao pushed her glasses up her nose and reached out with her own senses, drawing on Kajishizu's empathy to bolster her perception. The nearest corridors were deserted, as expected – she had been keeping watch on her surroundings, and would have noticed anyone approaching. But the damping kido all around had made tracking a larger area unfeasible. Now she forced her way past the barriers, only to brush against a spirit that made her skin crawl. Before the dark presence could notice her, she yanked her reiatsu back under her skin.

 _What is that?_ she asked her zanpakuto, shaken.

 _I don't know_ , Kajishizu replied in a distressed tone.

Nanao stretched her senses out again, reaching cautiously towards the threatening reiatsu with every particle of her spirit on high alert. She got the sense that it was hungry, waiting for something – full of a sadistic lust for blood and sex and pain. Nothing like any zanpakuto spirit she'd ever felt, though its basic composition was fairly similar to a zanpakuto. _What is that thing?_ It rang with an oddly dual tone, as though it was really two beings in one. Shunsui's swords felt similar when in shikai form, but despite their occasional cruelty, they were leagues away from the viciousness of this creature. _It feels like a hollow, almost, but that secondary spirit is unusual… is this what an arrancar feels like?_ A small part of her mind cursed Shunsui's overprotectiveness from keeping her from the battle of Fake Karakura Town; she could have used that experience to determine what she faced now. _But it's no use crying over spilled milk_. So she shrugged and carefully expanded her search.

The faintest wisps of other spiritual pressures hovered all around the presumed arrancar, flickering in and out of her perception. Those felt human, or as if they had once been human. Plus souls often emanated the same vagueness, though these spirits lacked the complex blend of resentment, determination, and loss that tied a plus soul to the earth. Instead, sorrow and confusion painted their energy in broad strokes of chilly blues and greens.

Suddenly, one of the spirits erupted into blazing agony. Fiery crimson shot through its energy as Nanao watched, aghast. _What the hell?_ The inferno rose higher, consuming the soul until almost all traces of sentience were wiped out. Threads of violet darted through the burning colors, and Nanao's eyes widened. Was that a doom beast in the process of transformation?

She started to run towards the source of the anguished spirit energy, praying that she wouldn't encounter any traps along the way. She had already disarmed several alarms, and nullified a particularly nasty trap that would have released a paralytic poison into the ventilation system; she didn't have time to painstakingly dismantle another one like it. Plus, at the speed she was going, she'd probably barrel straight through it before she noticed it. Kajishizu fluttered anxiously in her mind, but Nanao couldn't spare the time to reassure her zanpakuto – she had to find the transforming doom beast before it reached maturity.

When the corridors didn't go where she wanted them to go, she spat a kido chant and blasted the wall out of the way without breaking stride. Forget her earlier desire to avoid notice – any guards would be focused on the distant sounds of falling rubble, not the soft whisper as her kido absorbed a small section of concrete. If they did happen to notice her, she'd deal with them then. Kajishizu lay folded in her clenched fist, ready to strike at anything that attacked and alert for anyone coming within her sensing range. Unless Nanao told her otherwise, the zanpakuto was perfectly capable of taking care of opponents on her own – empathic blasts of despair or overwhelming lethargy were effective, mostly nonlethal methods of handing sapient enemies.

The tormented reiatsu flickered in and out of Nanao's senses, as weak as a human at the moment. Unfortunately, that wasn't likely to be the case for much longer, as the doom beast took control. Nanao's nerves hummed with reflected agony, but she refused to stop moving.

That nearly proved her undoing, as she rounded a corner and almost ran head first into a glimmering wall of kido energy. Hissing a curse, she skidded to a halt, ending up a hands-breadth away from the electrified kido. _At least this means I'm probably on the right track_. Tapping Kajishizu against her palm, she studied the wall of force, running a delicate energy probe over its surface.

It wasn't precisely kido, though the underlying structure was the same. Hollow energy had melded with the spell to create an untidy tangle of power over the neat lines of the blockade. Though she recognized the underlying structure, the hollow power added increased complications to it; she couldn't just blast her way through. Biting her lip in concentration, she set to work unravelling the messy web.

The transforming reiatsu swelled as she worked, adding frantic urgency to her task. In a small corner of her mind, she wondered if she was making a tactical error, but the desperate mental pain swamped that thought. She had to make it stop. As the agony grew stronger, she bolstered her shields, unable to tolerate the press of the anguish without some sort of barrier. _The creature has to be close_. She winced as a particularly nasty flare of fear slipped through her shields, resolutely shutting it out as she rapidly dismantled the bars providing structure for the kido.

Kajishizu sent her a wave of agreement and support. _I believe it's in the next room_ , the zanpakuto informed her.

Nanao nodded absently. _One more key… There!_ She gave a mental push to the spell, which collapsed into a pile of shards. Nanao held her breath for a second, hand clenched around Kajishizu's base. If an alarm were to sound, it would go off now.

When nothing happened, she slowly relaxed. _One barrier down_. Slowly creeping forward, she peered around the corner.

A nightmarish sight met her eyes. The cavernous hall in front of her was filled with hulking glass cylinders filled with glowing liquid. Shadowy figures floated within most of them. Over half of the vessels gleamed with the violet light characteristic of doom beast reiatsu. The figures in those cylinders writhed in torment as spikes burst from their backs and bone sprouted on their limbs. At the end of the hall, a slender man clad in a long white robe stood with his back to her, probing the controls to a massive computer. _That must be Szayelaporro_ , Nanao realized. He certainly emanated the reiatsu of an espada.

Nanao whispered the words of Kyakko, bending light around herself until nearly invisible. A thin slit in the veil allowed light to reach her eyes – it was the only weakness in the kido. Thus hidden, she crept forward, until she crouched behind the nearest cylinder. Taking a deep breath, she looked up into the liquid, and immediately regretted it.

A young girl, scarcely into her teens, floated there. Her eyes were closed, and her expression peaceful, but Nanao could feel the emotions churning through her. The girl's arms and legs had partially dissolved into the liquid, leaving the disturbing impression that she was gradually fading away. Thankfully, no violet energy marred her spirit, but that was the only blessing to the situation. Nanao gulped and looked away. _I'll free you as soon as I can_ , she promised the girl mentally. Kajishizu murmured an agreement.

A blast of spirit energy ripped through the air as a cylinder near Szayel burst open. A partially-formed doom beast tumbled out to land, dripping wet and gasping, at the arrancar's feet. Szayel patted it proprietarily on the head before turning back to his computer screens. The doom beast flopped onto its back and splayed its limbs to the ceiling as more bone plates slid out of its skin. Nanao winced. _Is there anything I can do to stop the rest of the transformations?_ she wondered, looking around at the remaining cylinders. These weren't humans being transformed, but pure souls. How would that affect the process? If she could administer konso before the transfiguration completed, would that save the spirit in question?

Futile musings, she knew, unless she could figure out a way to break open those vessels. With an espada and a newborn doom beast in the room, that seemed unlikely. Then Nanao frowned. She might not be able to stop the ongoing transformations, but it appeared as though Szayel had administered the drug through tubes into the top of each cylinder. If she cut those tubes, he couldn't mutate any more of the spirits.

Nanao glanced around the room. Szayel was fully focused on his computer, and the doom beast was out of commission for the moment. Taking the chance, she used shunpo to jump onto the top of the vessel next to her. A quick slash of Kajishizu, and the tube flopped down limply. Nanao immediately dropped back behind the cylinder, waiting with bated breath to see if Szayel would notice.

When he didn't react, she flashed to the top of the next vessel and repeated the move.

She had severed over half of the pipes when the doom beast stumbled to its feet. Opening its mouth, it screeched shrilly. An explosion of reiatsu accompanied the sound, and Nanao shrank back behind the pillar in front of her. Waves of fury, terror, and torment buffeted her as the doom beast screamed again, spine arched grotesquely backwards. Its claws scraped the ground with a painful grating noise.

Nanao winced, instinctively reaching out with Kajishizu's powers to ease some of the pain. To her utter shock, it worked. Her empathic touch smoothed out some of the worst turbulence in the newborn monster's emotions, and it sank into a relaxed crouch. Thankfully, it also stopped screaming. Nanao probed more deeply at its spirit, trying to bring calm and peaceful emotions to the fore. Her power struggled to find something to latch onto, but the doom beast grew perceptibly calmer.

 _Is it because this one came from a spirit, instead of a living human?_ Nanao wondered with a corner of her mind. _Does it retain more of itself that way?_ The doom beast didn't feel like a human to her; she could only sense raw, primitive emotions that lacked any sense of intelligence. But that was more than prior doom beasts had evinced.

Nanao shrugged, dismissing the puzzle for the moment. _Alright, Kajishizu_ , she thought determinedly. _Let's see how many of these things we can soothe_.

* * *

The blast of spirit energy and accompanying howl rocketed through the hallways, startling the battered group of vizards and shinigami. "Damn it, now what?" Kensei cursed in frustration. Blood matted his silver hair to his face, mixed with dust and sweat in a sticky mass.

Mashiro, white jumpsuit splattered with gore, lifted her head from her position sprawled at his feet. "I don't know. Another doom beast, it feels like." She let her head flop back down onto her hands, eyes fluttering shut.

Hiyori kicked the wall angrily. "When are we going to find this jerk? Hasn't he put us through enough stupid traps already?"

Shunsui grimaced. They'd encountered multiple pits with spikes at the bottom, a giant boulder rolling down a sloped hallway, a tiled floor where each tile released a new and interesting variety of poison, and numerous hollows. He'd lost Juushiro's haori in one of the hollow fights when a lizard-based hollow attempted to chomp his head from behind. _Old man Yama won't be happy with that_ , he thought wryly. _But I'll take it_.

None of them had been seriously injured in any of the traps; most were ludicrous for shinigami of their level. A boulder, for kami's sake? A couple kido blasts from Urahara and Juushiro had shattered it into pebbles. And spiked pits were only deadly if you didn't have shunpo. "Most of these traps weren't directed at us," he pointed out, ignoring Hiyori's snort of disdain. "Only the hollows and the poison have managed to do any damage, and that was mostly luck." Well, maybe not luck for the poison gas. Only Yoruichi's quick reflexes had prevented more injuries there.

"It's like he's been watching Indiana Jones movies and taking the traps from there," Lisa commented. "But he's an arrancar. Since when do they understand TV?"

"He's a scientific genius," Urahara replied soberly. "Don't underestimate him. He ran Aizen's security system in Las Noches; he's good with technology." That didn't answer the question of _why_ Szayel would choose to mimic cheesy action flicks, but Shunsui didn't want to point out that out. _I don't think I want to know the answer_ …

Yoruichi ran a hand through her hair. Somehow, the former stealth force captain remained immaculate, despite the grime covering the rest of them. "I wouldn't put it past him to enjoy watching us deal with these pointless traps, knowing that it's slowing us down and dulling our reflexes as we grow accustomed to the constant low level of danger."

Hiyori snorted. "Bet that bastard is laughing at us right now."

Rose brushed sweat-soaked hair out of his eyes as he commented, "It would fit his pattern to taunt us like this, with these pitiful traps. It's as if he's saying that we're such weak opponents, he doesn't need to expend any effort on us."

"So let's turn that around on him," Juushiro suggested thoughtfully. "Rather than play his game, let's bring the fight to him."

"That's what we're trying," Hiyori complained. "I think he's worked some spell on these halls to make them into a maze."

Juushiro turned to Urahara, and asked grimly, "Wasn't that something that he did to Lieutenant Abarai and Uryu Ishida, during their confrontation in Hueco Mundo?" Renji's report hadn't been too coherent, but he thought he could recall something like that.

Urahara nodded. "I believe he did, yes. It would be in character for him to do so now, as well. But Las Noches is significantly more moldable than buildings in the human realm. I haven't felt the quantities of reiatsu necessary to shift the corridors, so I suspect he simply built this place like a maze." He grimaced.

They'd left the parts of the building covered by Urahara's blueprints some time ago, right before the boulder attempted to smash them all into paste. The halls they traversed now were built from concrete and steel, and resembled the floors above them, but no human had built these walls. The concrete was laced with kido and impregnated with hollow reiatsu, which produced an ominous aura and concealed a variety of nasty traps. The ubiquitous miniature cameras, spaced every few feet along the wall, ran on reishi as well. The kido masters in the group had disabled all of the ones they could find, but Juushiro was sure that Szayel had more.

The pale captain sighed, rolling his eyes. "Well, if that's the case, there's no harm in taking a more direct route." He stepped forward and shook back his sleeves. "Everyone stand back." Shunsui moved to lay his hands on his lover's shoulders, feeding Juushiro energy, while everyone else scattered backwards.

Urahara nodded approvingly, guessing Juushiro's plan. "I'll help. On three?" Hachi and Tessai stepped up on either side of the scientist. "One… Two… Three!" On the final word, the four kido masters released a massive blast of kinetic force into the wall in front of them. The concrete shattered with a boom.

Shunsui chuckled. "Building your own path now? What happened to being cautious?" he teased, running his fingers through his lover's hair.

Juushiro blushed lightly as he explained, "There's really no need for that anymore. Szayel is almost certainly near that explosion of reiatsu, and pinpointing its source is easy. Even the barriers he set up can't hide something of that magnitude."

"And it's nearby," Tessai put in. "Not more than a few hallways away, I would say."

Juushiro nodded, leaning his head against Shunsui's shoulder. "So, this is the most expedient way," he concluded. Urahara nodded in agreement.

"What the hell are you doin' here?" a voice, rough with the accent of the Rukongai, growled from behind them. They all spun to see two men, clad in ripped jeans and baggy t-shirts, standing amidst the rubble with unsheathed swords. Unlike the gleaming steel of the shinigami zanpakuto, these weapons were rusted and sawtoothed, with chipped blades and worn leather grips. Neither emanated enough reiatsu to cut a seated officer, much less a captain-level soul reaper, but that didn't mean they were completely harmless. Shunsui let his hand tighten around his zanpakuto as he waited for them to make the first move.

The second man spat into the dust. "Shinigami. Always pokin' your noses in where no one wants ya." His eyes narrowed as he studied them critically. "But most of ya don't look like shinigami. What the hell?"

Juushiro stepped forward. "I am Captain Juushiro Ukitake of Squad 13," he informed them, ignoring Hiyori's snort of derision behind him. "May I have your names?" His tone was perfectly polite, as though he was addressing new recruits at the Academy. Shunsui felt a reluctant smile tug at his lips, amused by his lover's formality even in the midst of chaos.

The first man elbowed his companion in the ribs. "Norio, that's a captain," he hissed. "We don't wanna mess with them. C'mon, let's go."

Norio shook his head defiantly, gripping his sword tightly. "No, Eiji. We can't let 'em past, the boss would kill us." Despite his bravado, his voice held a quiver of fear. No Rukongai resident had a chance against a captain, and he knew it. But fear of Szayelaporro and hatred of shinigami drove him forward.

Eiji sighed in resignation, stepping up beside Norio and leveling his blade at the shinigami and vizards. No brave speeches from him, but his grasp on his blade was steady.

Juushiro felt his heart clench as he studied the pair in front of them. They were far too young to throw their lives away, and they obviously expected to die for their defiance. Though their skinny bodies bore muscles from continuous manual labor, their stances and grips lacked any sort of formal training. They did possess a decent amount of reiatsu, for Rukongai citizens, but nowhere near that of a trained shinigami. _What brought you here?_ he wondered sadly. _Why do you hate soul reapers so much?_

But there was no time for such questions. "Norio-san, Eiji-san, I apologize for this," he said quietly. "Bakudo 4: Hainawa." A crackling golden rope shot from his hands to wrap around the bodies of both men, immobilizing them from the neck down.

Norio cursed heatedly as he struggled against his bonds, glaring at Juushiro. "Damn it, shinigami!" he yelled, voice cracking. "Fuck you! Let us go!"

Kensei stepped up and grabbed Norio's shirt in his fist. "Shut up," he growled, a faint echo of a hollow in his voice. "Be glad you're alive." Norio snapped his mouth shut, though his eyes bored holes into the muscular vizard. Kensei shoved him away and turned to Juushiro. "Did you want them for something?"

Juushiro nodded firmly. "I want to know why two Rukongai residents are here in the living world, and how they got here." He opened his mouth to say more, but a tortured screech interrupted him. A wave of reiatsu accompanied it, flavored with the unique tang of the doom beasts. At first, Juushiro thought that was all there was to it. Then he caught a hint of Nanao's delicate energy, somehow woven into the reiatsu surge.

Shunsui noticed as well, and his face blanched dead white. "Question them later," he snarled. Without waiting for an answer, he took off at a dead sprint through the hole in the wall. Juushiro paused just long enough to shrug helplessly at the vizards before shunpoing after his lover.

Kensei heaved a sigh and tossed Norio over his shoulder. "I guess we can't leave you here to get eaten by doom beasts," he grumbled. Love rolled his eyes, but picked up Eiji without complaint. Kensei nodded to the other vizards. "Let's go."

As the group flashed after Shunsui and Juushiro, Eiji squeaked, "Wait! What are doom beasts?"


	35. And Your Little Dog, Too

**Author's Note:**

I have a laptop again! Apparently the motherboard suffered a critical failure, but now it's back and as good as new. Thank you to everyone who's left reviews on the previous chapters; your support is greatly appreciated!

* * *

 **Chapter 35: And Your Little Dog, Too  
**

Nanao had insinuated herself into the primitive minds of seven newborn doom beasts when the wall beside Szayel's computer banks burst open. Every doom beast in the room leapt to their feet as Shunsui and Juushiro flashstepped through the ragged hole with drawn blades. The vizards, Yoruichi, and Urahara followed hot on their heels, reiatsu blazing; Tessai entered a moment later. Hysterical fury roared through the doom beasts. Nanao clamped down on the ones she controlled, blasting them with waves of lethargy – her seven sank down on their haunches, but the other six launched themselves at the shinigami.

Szayelaporro laughed hysterically as the soul reapers scattered with curses. "Now the games can begin!" he cheered. Then he frowned, staring at the sleepy doom beasts still crouched on the floor. Snapping a beringed hand at them, he barked, "Go get them!"

Nanao felt a surge of adrenaline blaze through the doom beasts, bringing them to their feet with hackles raised. Several leapt at the oncoming shinigami, while others – the ones she had taken control of first – wavered. Nanao released the most aggressive two with a grimace; she could feel them slipping rapidly away from her as bloodlust consumed their minds. But the other five remained, however tenuously, within her grasp. She sent them wave after wave of apathy, hoping that the draining emotion would penetrate their fog of fury the way nothing else would.

Szayel waved his hand again, gesturing imperiously at the monsters. The dim light glinted off the ruby rings he wore as he snapped, "I said, go!"

A heady cocktail of emotion surged through the doom beasts. Crouched behind the cylinder, Nanao gritted her teeth. Part of her – the part controlling Kajishizu's empathic senses – desperately wanted to run, to fight, to feel the splatter of blood on her face as she carved through the monsters in front of her. _No_. She forced the berserk rage back down, transmuting it into power to refill her draining reserves. She had never tried to channel emotions to more than one creature at a time; doing so when another person fought for control made the effort exponentially harder. _After this, I am figuring out everything Kajishizu can do_ , she promised herself fervently.

The doom beasts, caught between her empathic sendings of calm and Szayel's furious orders, whimpered piteously. She could sense she was losing them – whatever method the espada used to control them was slowly overwhelming her limited power. But she held on grimly. The shinigami and vizards already fought for their lives against eight doom beasts; she refused to allow another five to enter the battlefield. Kajishizu murmured encouragement in the back of her mind as she siphoned off the rage filling the doom beasts' minds, replacing it with listless languor.

Szayel cocked his head curiously. "Now, what's going on with you?" he asked, stroking the head of the nearest doom beast proprietarily. "Why aren't you fighting?" He completely ignored the chaos raging around him, even as a hulking doom beast was hurled past his head. It smashed into the wall in a shower of rubble before launching itself at Kensei again with a roar.

As the espada touched the doom beast, Nanao felt another burst of mania surge through the creature's brain. She narrowed her eyes. _Kajishizu, can we direct that rage at him, and only him?_ she asked hurriedly. At the zanpakuto's wordless assent, she grinned. Using the delicate touch that made her a kido master, she maintained the flow of lethargy to the four doom beasts next to Szayel while seizing control of the fury in the one that he was touching. The slender espada's eyes widened as the doom beast lurched to its feet, growling at him with teeth bared.

"Stop it!" he ordered imperiously. "These puny shinigami are your prey; go fight them!"

The command sent yet another surge of rage through the doom beast. But its brain was too simple to understand the concepts of ally versus enemy. Nanao could dimly sense something that ordinarily prevented it from attacking Szayelaporro, but she easily overrode that block. _Bloodlust is a powerful emotion_ , she told the espada silently. _And you don't have control over it any more. I do_.

The doom beast launched itself at Szayel with a snarl. The espada hastily backpedaled, drawing the blade at his hip to parry the wild swings of the monster's claws. "Stop it!" he yelled again, sounding slightly panicked. But the doom beast kept attacking.

Nanao smiled viciously. _Serves you right_. She turned her attention to the other four doom beasts, who shifted restlessly on their paws as they watched the chaos raging around them. _Now that I know the trick, let's have all of you attack him as well_ , she told them mentally.

It was far easier to redirect the target of the rage than to transmute it into another emotion. Whatever means Szayel used to protect himself against them, they couldn't be too effective, for it only took Nanao a few seconds to dismantle the mental blocks within the doom beasts' minds. With those removed, she sent them an image of the pink-haired arrancar and impressed upon them the desire to destroy him. Then she cut off the flow of calming energy.

* * *

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" Shunsui asked in bemusement as another four doom beasts leapt at Szayelaporro. He dodged to the side as a different doom beast swung its claws at him, and Juushiro slashed down at the creature's back as it hurtled past. It yelped, a peculiar high-pitched whine, as the gash opened up on its neck.

"I have no idea," Juushiro called back, dodging as the doom beast lashed out at him with a hooked tail. Shunsui swung both of Katen Kyokotsu's blades in a wide arc, severing the tail as Juushiro drove his left-hand blade deep into the doom beast's ribs. It hissed, snakelike, before whirling and attacking again.

"I think…" _Slash_. "That these things…" _Slash_. "Are even stronger…" _Slash_. "Than earlier," Shunsui panted between blows. Juushiro nodded grimly. _They're certainly faster, and it takes more force to penetrate their hides_ , he decided, matching his partner blow for blow. _And there are a lot more of them. If we don't figure out a good way to disable them, this could end very badly_.

A blast of reiatsu heralded the precipitous arrival of Lisa, who shot past them in an uncontrolled tumble before striking the wall feet-first and flipping upright. "What's up with the doom beasts attacking Szayel?" she called, pressing a hand to the gash on her side as she summoned a quick healing kido.

"No clue!" Shunsui yelled back, dodging to the side as the doom beast chasing Lisa charged at him. He lashed out with both of Katen Kyokotsu's blades as it darted past, and it turned on him, snarling. Lisa gave him a quick grin before lunging back into the fray.

"Better question: where's Nanao?" she panted, flipping through the air over the doom beast's head and driving her sword down into its brain. It tossed its head backwards, dislodging her, and Juushiro took the opportunity to stab into its unprotected underbelly.

Shunsui shrugged, whirling to deal with another doom beast about to pounce on him. "Somewhere nearby; I can feel her reiatsu. But…" He paused, fending off a flurry of attacks with a grimace. A claw slipped past his defenses, opening a shallow gash along his forearm, and he winced. Lisa swiped a hand over her face, summoning her mask, and spat a cero into the doom beast's face; it recoiled with a snarl. Shunsui grinned at Lisa and yelled, "Nice shot! Anyway, I think she's under Kyakko, since I can't see her. If I didn't…" _Slash_. "Know her reiatsu so well…" _Slash_. "I wouldn't be able to sense her at all." He drove both of Katen Kyokotsu's blades into the doom beast's vulnerable throat, and it leapt away.

Juushiro shunpoed over to his lover's side, slapping a healing kido over the wound on Shunsui's arm. The flamboyant captain nodded in absent thanks as he scanned the battlefield. Juushiro could feel tendrils of Shunsui's stormy reiatsu spreading out through the room, searching for his lieutenant's spiritual pressure. For a second, he wondered if Shunsui would be able to sense anything through the miasma created by the raging battle. Then a thread of Nanao's reiatsu wrapped around both of them in silent reassurance.

Shunsui grinned in relief. "She's here, all right!" he laughed. "That's my Nanao-chan!"

Juushiro chuckled wryly. Nanao's energy, full of determination and tinged with impatience, shattered any worries he had about her safety. _I should have known that you wouldn't let a mad espada's antics ruffle your feathers_ , he told her silently. _After all, you never let Shunsui's shenanigans bother you_. He had to admit that he had been worried, though he knew how competent she was. Feeling her alive and well was a greater relief that he wanted to admit.

Beside him, Shunsui squeaked, and threw himself at a blur in the air. Lisa snorted, impaling a doom beast who leapt at his unguarded back, as Nanao's voice ordered crossly, "Pay attention, damn it!" The shimmer dissolved, revealing a uniform-clad Nanao holding a copper fan pointed threateningly at her captain. "You almost let that doom beast…" She cut off abruptly as Shunsui swept her up in a massive bear hug.

"Nanao-chaaaan! You're okay!" he wailed melodramatically.

"Focus!" she snapped as another doom beast lunged for them. Juushiro caught it on the crossed blades of Sogyo no Kotowari, driving the weapons deep into its lungs. It thrashed, yowling, and Nanao snapped a hand at it. A lash of lightning whipped through the air, blasting its head apart before continuing to barrel into the back of a doom beast facing Kensei and Mashiro.

Juushiro didn't bother watching to see what they did with it. As white bone crawled up the doom beast's neck, reshaping into a canine muzzle that snapped futilely at his face, he yanked his swords out of its body. It crumpled to the ground with a yelp. Nanao, eyes blazing, snapped her fan closed and drove the weapon into the thing's healing head. "Stay down," she ordered sharply.

Juushiro blinked.

"Um, Nanao, is that your zanpakuto?" he asked curiously. _Strange; I don't think I know its name_ , he realized as she nodded. "That's… Look out!" A doom beast lunged towards her and Shunsui, who had foolishly sheathed his swords to hug his lieutenant.

With a hollow roar, Lisa launched herself at the oncoming doom beast. It swatted at her with a heavy paw, but she twisted in midair and used the monster's arm as a springboard to propel herself into the air. As she flew over its back, she stabbed downwards with her zanpakuto, driving deep into its ribcage. It spun violently, flinging her away and using the sword as a fulcrum. The motion drove Lisa's zanpakuto even deeper into its torso before she ripped it out. White dust spilled out of the gash, which was already sealing itself shut. "Damn things just won't die," she panted, leaning on her sword as she tried to catch her breath.

Juushiro shook his head soberly, looking around the room. The eight doom beasts pressed the assembled vizards and shinigami fiercely, using their regeneration powers to maintain a continuous onslaught. "At least they're not intelligent," he muttered. _Monsters with this much raw power who could use tactics and strategy would be a nightmare_.

Across the room, Kensei and Mashiro assaulted a doom beast with fist and blade, moving together as if they shared some form of telepathy. Hiyori and Shinji fought the same way against another monster, wielding their zanpakutos with fury and courage. Kensei had released his bankai, while the rest relied on masks and shikai. The area around the muscular vizard bore the scars of the explosive power of his release; the doom beast fighting Shinji moved with the unmistakable confusion of a creature caught in Sakanade's web. Rose had released his shikai as well, though Love's Tengumaru remained in katana form. _Apparently he learned that his 'giant spiky cactus,' as Hiyori termed it, is not fit for close-quarters combat_ , Juushiro thought in amusement.

In another corner of the room, Hachi and Tessai worked together with the ease of long practice to trap and torment their own opponent. Blasts of fire, lashes of lightning, and more esoteric kido flew with abandon through the air. Beside them, Urahara and Yoruichi took on a pair of doom beasts whose speed paled beside that of the former stealth force members. White flames flared around Yoruichi's body as she flashed through the battlefield, while Urahara's Benihime danced through the air. Neither shinigami bore so much as a scratch.

The same couldn't be said for the rest of them, Juushiro acknowledged ruefully. Kensei bore a multitude of minor cuts, Mashiro's left arm had been laid open, and blood spattered Shinji's face. Their usual strategy – heal any wounds before they became a problem – didn't work when no one had a moment to spare to apply a true healing kido. The best they could do was staunch the bleeding.

 _I hope that doesn't become a problem_ , he thought worriedly. _We can't afford to lose anyone to reiatsu drain right now_. He swung Sogyo no Kotowari in an arc, catching a doom beast's swing and redirecting the force towards the other doom beast lumbering towards them. As Shunsui and Lisa closed in from either side, he added, _But that may not be our biggest problem_. He could only spare a second for a quick glance towards the computer banks, but that was enough to see that the five doom beasts attacking Szayelaporro were still going strong. The espada was limping, and blood poured down the side of his head, but he was far from defeated. Every time a doom beast got too close to him, he would throw a handful of glittering dust into its face, which made it yelp and fall back, pawing at its eyes.

"Come on," Nanao murmured distractedly. He glanced over to see her staring fixedly at the five, and suspicion bloomed in his mind. _Nanao, are you controlling those things somehow?_ he asked silently. She tapped her battle fan against her leg rhythmically, reiatsu sparking at irregular intervals around her, and he could sense her fierce concentration. _Best not to disturb her_ , he decided, assuming a position between her and the pair of doom beasts brawling with Shunsui and Lisa. _I can ask her later_.

But he had underestimated her ability to multitask. One of the doom beasts managed to extricate itself from the tangle that Shunsui and Lisa had done their best to create, and started to lunge at the masked vizard. With a snarl of "Hado 63: Raikouhou!" Nanao hurled a spear of golden lightning at the doom beast's face. It recoiled with a hiss, and she grinned.

Suddenly, every doom beast in the room froze. The soul reapers halted as well, hands tightening around the hilts of their zanpakuto. _What now?_ Juushiro asked wearily.

Szayel's high-pitched laughter echoed through the hush as the former espada leapt onto the top of his computer array. "Now the game is finally getting fun!" he giggled, flourishing his sword at the bemused crowd. "But I'm afraid the rules are changing." A gleeful grin split his face as he announced, "Sip, Fornicarás!" A magenta glow burst from the blade as he slowly lowered the katana into his mouth.

"Okay, that's disgusting," Shunsui commented as he watched the espada's body expand to mammoth proportions. A fine mist drifted through the room, smelling faintly of rotting flowers, as reiatsu exploded from Szayelaporro.

"Ewww," Hiyori complained, waving her hand in front of her nose.

Juushiro's eyes narrowed as Szayel's massive body abruptly compressed back into human proportions – of a sort. Wriggling purple tentacles protruded from his waist, extending towards the ground, and long white tendrils burst from his back. Red teardrops began to sprout from the wing-like appendages as the violet tentacles morphed into a long white skirt.

He moaned lewdly, and Shunsui grimaced. "Okay, that just makes it worse."

"He sounds like he's in a cheap porno," Lisa pointed out dryly. Juushiro winced, but he couldn't deny the truth of that statement.

As Szayel finished transforming, he spread his wings and leered at all of them. "Let the second act begin!" He paused, tilting his head to one side, and licked his lips. "Though I suppose it won't be a very long act. You've all been so kind to provide me with data on your respective powers, after all." Flaring his wings, he arched his back and laughed hysterically. "This should be fun! For me, at least." Black goo exploded from his back in a geyser, smashing against the ceiling to rain down on the assembled crowd.

Then a calm voice spoke. "Nake, Benihime."

Crimson light burst from Urahara's zanpakuto, spreading out in a wash of flame over the heads of the shinigami. Szayel gaped as the fire absorbed the goo with a hiss of foul-smelling smoke. "What? That's not possible!" he blurted out furiously.

Urahara smiled smugly at the livid espada. "Not possible? I would think a scientist like yourself would have learned to never use that phrase."

Before Szayel could respond, a rough male voice blurted out, "What the hell?" Juushiro spun to see the two Rukongai men standing in the gaping hole in the wall, staring incredulously at the espada's new form.

"I thought I told you two idiots to stay where we put you, under the damn kido shield," Kensei growled.

Szayel cackled gleefully at that. "So you two decided to join the fun? Where's the other one?" As the first man opened his mouth to reply, Szayel's wings snapped out. The men had time for one, choked-off cry before the tentacles swallowed them whole. Juushiro started forward, but Urahara waved him back. The white-haired captain bit back a protest as Urahara cast a warning glance around the room, silently ordering everyone to remain still.

Moments later, Szayel spread his wings, a sadistic expression twisting his mouth. Two scarlet bulbs swelled on his wings, drooping towards the ground. "This will show you who you're dealing with!" he declared dramatically. The bulbous nodes burst in a shower of vile liquid, and the men tumbled out with dazed expressions. Szayel caught a pair of crude dolls in his fist and smirked. "Let this be a warning," he purred. Seizing the torso of one doll, he ripped the top off and held up the bottom half. "See what happens to anyone caught by my Teatro de Titere," he gloated. Elongated fingers pried a tiny object from the doll, which he slowly squished in his fist. One of the men cried out hoarsely.

"Stop it," Juushiro demanded. "They are not your enemies. Fight us, and leave them alone." He couldn't stand egomaniacs who tortured innocents just to display their strength – it was sickening. The expression of almost orgasmic pleasure on the espada's face as he watched the man writhing in agony only added to his disgust.

"Aww, does the little captain care about them?" Szayel giggled. "Sacrifice yourself, and I'll let them live." He plucked another organ from the doll and stabbed it with his fingernail. Blood gushed from the man's mouth as he doubled over, screaming.

Juushiro's lips tightened. "Hado 73: Soren Sokatsui," he spat, thrusting his hand towards the espada. Twin balls of blue flame exploded from his palm and hurtled towards Szayel, who raised the dolls in his hand mockingly.

"I wouldn't do that," he said playfully. As the azure flames zoomed closer, he tossed the open doll into the path of the spell. Juushiro cursed helplessly as the miniature organs inside spilled out, only to be incinerated by the high-level kido. The man writhing on the ground shrieked horribly, then lay deathly still.

"Norio!" the other man yelped, scrambling over to his friend's body.

Szayel chuckled. "Now, shall I kill him too, or just play with him for a while? I wonder how long he would survive as I crushed each organ one by one." The former espada leered at them. "Or you could all leave now, and maybe he has a chance of survival."

Darkness swirled around Shunsui as he took a step forward, Katen Kyokotsu held loosely in his grip. "We don't negotiate with our enemies," he informed the espada softly. Cold anger emanated from his tone. "Holding hostages won't save your life. But if you come with us peacefully, we'll see you get a fair trial." He had no intention of giving the espada a chance to escape, but he, unlike some of the other soul reapers, would gladly break his word if it meant saving lives. _And, unlike them, I'm willing to bear the cost of a few sacrifices_. He cast a guilty glance at Juushiro. _Sorry, love. I know you don't agree with me on this. If he had Nanao or you, it'd be different… but I'm not about to sacrifice your safety to save a stranger_.

Szayel snorted. "A trial? Me? You, nothing more than worms in the dirt, would dare to judge me?" He unscrewed the second doll, running his fingers lightly over the pieces inside. "I don't think so." Pulling out a long loop of string, he rolled it between his fingers with a pensive expression. "Ever wondered what would happen if the intestines suddenly ripped in half?" he asked conversationally.

"Damn him," Nanao muttered furiously. She held her fan in front of her like a shield, staring fixedly at Szayelaporro. "I can't touch him, he's just madness and vanity at this point. There's nothing rational left."

A high-pitched wail rent the air as Szayel calmly tore the string into pieces, then negligently dropped the pieces to the ground. Grinding his foot into them, he snickered, "Decide quickly, shinigami scum. Or there won't be much left of him." The man whimpered breathlessly, accenting the espada's words.

"Enough," Shunsui said sternly. His usual playful demeanor had vanished without a trace. Judging by the gleeful look on Szayel's face, the stranger's hours were numbered no matter what they did. But he wasn't about to let the man suffer. "Byakurai."

One man's life, weighed against the lives of numerous others? It wasn't a hard choice.

Szayel goggled at the motionless body of the man from Rukongai, who lay with the eerie, broken-doll limpness of true death. The lightning had stopped his heart, killing him instantly. It was a far more merciful end than the espada would have given him, and Shunsui knew it, but that didn't prevent a distant pang of regret. _I swear, this is the last death this maniac will cause_.

Juushiro's gaze was dark as he stepped up next to his lover. "Surrender," he ordered Szayel. "Stop playing games. You're outnumbered, and there's no way for you to win." His hands tightened around the hilts of Sogyo no Kotowari as he glanced at the corpses of the two men from Rukongai. _If only they had listened, they wouldn't be dead now_.

"I think not," the espada hissed, throwing his hands and wings wide. The surrounding doom beasts shivered in unison. "Outnumbered? You idiot, look around you!" He stabbed a finger down onto a bright purple button on the console behind him, causing an ominous rumbling to echo through the hall. "One little monster for each of you…" He frowned. "Almost." Sighing dramatically, he shook his head. "I suppose the little bitch got loose, didn't she…" Shunsui growled subvocally at his words, and Nanao sent him a quelling look. He subsided, scowling, as Szayel sighed, "Oh well, no matter. I can always make more monsters." He snickered. "Soon there will be two pretty monsters for each of you, and then they can eat you all up!"

"Okay, he's definitely crazy," Hiyori muttered. "Can we shut him up now?" Swiping her hand over her face, she took a step forward, cero fire blooming in front of her mask. Szayel smirked, opening his mouth to reply, then paused and tipped his head to the side.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Juushiro glanced around, frowning, and spotted a viscous purple liquid trickling out of severed tubes dangling from the ceiling. "What is that?" he murmured.

"Doom beast serum," Nanao supplied, a fierce grin on her face. "He won't be making any more of them today, at least."

"Or ever, if I have anything to say about it," Shunsui muttered.

Szayel's eyes narrowed in fury. "What the hell is going on?" His wings trembled with rage as he launched himself into the air with sonido, landing in a crouch on top of one of the cylinders. "What. The. Hell?" As his voice spiraled upwards, magenta reiatsu flared around him. Juushiro shaded his eyes with his hands as the light grew brighter.

Szayel screamed brokenly, sending a shockwave of spiritual pressure through the room, and Hiyori snapped, "Alright, enough chatter." A scream of her own burst from her mouth as she spat a cero at the espada's head. He flipped his wings closed around him, and the cero splattered against them, leaving scorch marks that reeked of burnt flesh. A few of his pseudo-feathers cracked off, falling to the ground with a wet squelch. "Again, eww," Hiyori complained.

An eerie screeching noise bubbled from the espada's lips as he uncurled. It took them all a moment to realize that he was laughing. "You shinigami think you're all so powerful, don't you? You think you're so special, so amazing that everyone else should bow down and worship you, don't you?" He yanked the fabric away from his neck, revealing an intricate metal collar studded with shards of crimson jewels. "You think you can control me? You think you can win? I am immortal! You will all die at my hands, just like the foolish peasants who thought they could use me for their own ends!" An unnerving gleam slipped into his eyes as his voice dropped back into conversational tones. "Yes… first, I'll deal with you. Your screams will be quite pleasant, and I'm sure my creations will appreciate your spirits. Then, oh, yes, then I'll deal with the cretins who placed this around my neck." Fingering the collar, he tilted his head to one side. "Or, no! I'll let them live till the end, let them see what their machinations have wrought! Their despair will be such a gorgeous sight to behold once the Soul Society lies in ashes…"

"So, who are these people?" Yoruichi asked calmly, propping a hand on her hip.

Szayel cackled. "You don't know? So much for the supposed brilliance of the exiled Shihoin princess! Aren't you supposed to have spies everywhere, darling? Or do you just rely on those sexy curves of yours to get the information you want?" He leered at her, and she rolled her eyes. "If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you." The pronouncement was said in the same petulant tone common among children everywhere.

"Oh, but that doesn't follow the script," Urahara interjected, fluttering his fan in front of his face. "Don't you know that the evil villain is always supposed to explain his nefarious plans right before he kills the heroes?" Szayel burst out laughing.

Juushiro and Shunsui exchanged glances. "Is this really the best tactic?" Shunsui murmured.

His lover shrugged. "It would be good to know why he's wearing a collar," he returned, glancing sidelong at the espada. "Especially since it sounds like we've still got a few traitors in our ranks." He grimaced. "Just what we need… more problems to deal with."

Shunsui skated a hand over Juushiro's shoulder. "We'll find them, never fear," he promised.

He was forestalled from saying more when Szayel finally caught his breath. "I like you, shinigami," he wheezed. "Maybe I'll keep you. I've got a few sample jars that might fit that brain of yours. But truly, do you think I'm that stupid?"

Yoruichi offered him a feline smirk. "Yes." Shinji groaned, while the other vizards threw her incredulous looks. Only Lisa nodded in approval, eyes narrowed as she studied the espada from behind her diamond-shaped mask.

The simple statement provoked another round of hysterical laughter in the espada. "You… you.." he shrieked. "You're insane! Insane! Are you that blind, that clueless? You'll never defeat me! I'm immortal, I tell you, immortal!" He flared his wings out, trembling; drops of sweat dripped down his forehead. "When you're lying in sticky puddles of your own blood, staring at your entrails, you'll regret the day you picked a fight with me! You could have left well enough alone, but no… stupid, meddling shinigami. Always poking your noses in where you don't belong… you'll regret it!"

* * *

As his ranting went on and on, Nanao narrowed her eyes. The doom beasts watched him with perked ears and alert stares, though they hadn't twitched a muscle since their abrupt halt. A simmering cauldron of hunger and rage seethed through their minds. _So why aren't they moving?_

 _They can't_ , Kajishizu supplied. _He froze them somehow. It's not mental, it's physical_. The zanpakuto sounded disgusted. _That's cheating_.

Shifting her gaze around the room, Nanao realized that her zanpakuto was right. Ruby chains of raw power encircled each doom beast's neck, forming patterns eerily similar to the ones on the collar around Szayel's throat. She wasn't sure why the creatures couldn't just absorb the energy the way they could absorb everything else, but now wasn't the time to experiment with questions like that. _Whether they can absorb it or not, it's kido, which means I can manipulate it_. The color was unusual – Szayel's reiatsu was magenta, not ruby – but it was clearly a form of kido. _Maybe the color means that it's a specific frequency that the doom beasts can't affect?_

She shrugged, casting her gaze over the last couple doom beasts. _Again, not important right now, though I need to remember to tell Urahara about it later_. An unusual shimmer in the back corner caught her eye for a second, but it quickly vanished amidst the reiatsu currents, and she dismissed it. _Way too much reiatsu swirling around in here_. The combined spiritual pressure of eight vizards and six shinigami was approaching dangerous levels; she was surprised the building hadn't collapsed yet.

 _So, what do you think? Can you take control of them?_ Kajishizu demanded eagerly.

 _I think so_ , Nanao told her, carefully reaching out towards the nearest doom beast with her empathic senses. _But I'll need your help. I don't know if I can control all of them at once_.

 _You can_ , Kajishizu reassured her.

Nanao smiled humorlessly. _Then let's get started_.

For what she wanted to do, she didn't need to control the doom beasts completely. But she needed to impress upon them that their primary target – their only target – was the pink-haired espada currently raving in front of them. Their bloodlust had to be aimed solely at him. Nanao had no illusions about their level of intelligence – if she lost control of them, they'd return to their pursuit of anything that moved, unable to remember that their hatred had previously been focused on Szayel. _So I can't make any mistakes_.

The first few were easy. As she slipped into their minds and modified their indiscriminate fury to aim squarely at Szayel, they twitched and bared their teeth, but remained still, thanks to the ruby kido collars. She wouldn't remove those until she was positive that she had each and every doom beast firmly in her mental grasp.

After the fifth one, things got a bit harder. Splitting her focus between so many creatures made her head ache, and she couldn't loosen her grip on the earlier ones. When she tried, their newfound hatred of Szayel was slowly subsumed by their primal need to consume as much spirit energy as possible; she couldn't free them in that condition. So she reinforced her earlier sendings and set up a steady stream of emotion to every doom beast already under her control.

Six down.

Seven.

At eight, with sweat dripping down her face, she felt the first tingles of a kido migraine, caused by overextending herself. She still had enough energy to continue, thanks to Kajishizu, but the graying around the edges of her vision warned her to be careful.

Nine down.

"Nanao-chan? Are you alright?" Shunsui muttered in an undertone. Keeping his eyes on Szayel, he stepped backwards and slipped a hand around her waist.

Speech felt like too much of an effort, so she just nodded slowly. Even that simple motion made her body scream in pain. Every muscle felt achy, the way they did in the grip of a high fever; she wasn't sure how much longer she could stand upright. _But I'm going to finish this, dammit!_

Juushiro, too, took a step closer. "What can we do to help?" he asked quietly. Szayel was still ranting about taking over the world, spurred on by occasional snarky comments from Yoruichi and Urahara, but he didn't want to draw the espada's attention.

"Energy," Nanao croaked, slumping against Shunsui's comforting warmth as she reached out to hook the eleventh doom beast. _Come here, little monster, come on_. It felt a bit like coaxing a cat, and she felt her lips twitch with amusement. _A cat with foot-long claws and razor-sharp fangs, maybe_.

Juushiro nodded and laid his hand on her shoulder. She practically whimpered with relief as aquamarine reiatsu flowed into her, replenishing her rapidly-emptying reserves. "Thank… you."

Eleven down. Two more to go.

 _You can do it!_ Kajishizu cheered. She fluttered anxiously behind Nanao's eyes as the doom beasts shifted as much as they were able, twitching restlessly. _You might want to hurry, though_.

Nanao didn't bother to respond. Shunsui's blossom-scented reiatsu joined Juushiro's as she snagged the twelfth doom beast's mind, weaving the captains' power in with her own to create a solid leash for the monster. _This is your target… this is what you want to kill. Kill him, devour him, destroy him_. The doom beast couldn't hear the words, but it could certainly feel the sentiment behind them. Its focus snapped to Szayel, and it growled low in its throat.

Twelve down.

The last one was the hardest. Despite the cushioning effect of Shunsui and Juushiro's power, sparkles danced across her vision. Without Shunsui's support, she wouldn't be upright right now. She would pay a hefty price for this afterwards, but that didn't matter now. _This is your target_ … _this is what you want to kill_ …

Thirteen down.

"Free… them…" she whispered. Her vision was dimming, but the scarlet collars still shone with vibrant fire in her mind's eye. Then, one by one, they started to wink out. Juushiro's ocean-hued reiatsu wove in and around their intricate links, snapping strands here and there until only the finest thread remained around the neck of each doom beast. Nanao nodded. "Now."

The kido cracked apart, and all hell broke loose. Szayel, caught mid-gesture, didn't even have time to blink before the mass of doom beasts descended on him. For several long minutes, the shinigami stared in horror as the writhing horde of white monsters jostled and snapped, sending spurts of dark crimson blood flying as they tore the espada from limb to limb. His agonized screams echoed throughout the chamber for a short time, but were soon replaced by the wet sounds of ripping flesh and shattering bone.

"Damn," Kensei swore, eyes wide as he watched the doom beasts shove each other aside to reach the remains of Szayel's body. "Can he come back from that?"

Urahara tapped his fan against his palm. "No, I don't think so. Look." As he spoke, a pale lavender haze rose from the bone plates covering each doom beast's head and muzzle. "They're absorbing him."

"They're not just absorbing his reiatsu," Yoruichi observed dispassionately. "They're literally eating all of him. So much for his so-called immortality; he can't be reborn if thirteen different monsters each eat a part of him." Nanao gulped. While she had wanted him dead, she hadn't envisioned such a gruesome end. Through her connection to the doom beasts, she could feel how Szayel's spirit poured into the ravenous void inside of each monster, partially sating their ferocious rage for the moment. The visceral pleasure that the doom beasts took in the kill echoed through her veins, making her nauseous; the remaining fury didn't help. Part of her could feel every blow, every mouthful of flesh, as though she was the one tearing Szayel apart. _I… think I'm gonna be sick_.

"Hang in there, Nanao," Juushiro murmured, sending another wave of reiatsu into her trembling body. "Almost there." She swallowed hard, biting back bile, and let her head fall down onto his shoulder. _Just a little bit longer_.

Finally the purple haze dissipated, and the doom beasts sank back on their haunches. The shinigami stared in silence at the desiccated scraps of skin and bone that were all that remained of the former octava espada for several long moments, before Lisa summed up what they all were thinking. "Well, damn. So what do we do now?"


	36. One Day More

**Author's Note:**

I am so, so sorry for the long delay between chapters! All I can say is that endings are hard... Thank you all for your patience and for sticking with this story, and thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Starscape91, InsaneKnight, Fading into the Background, Snowkid, Nova Alexandria, rainbowpixie2112, you are all awesome!

And now, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 36: One Day More  
**

As the last droplets of Nanao's strength ran out, the doom beasts took that choice out of their hands. Vizards and shinigami scattered as the monsters leapt into action, but they weren't trying to attack. Instead, half dove for the shimmering portal in the corner, while the other half streaked past the assembled combatants and bolted for freedom. Juushiro yanked Nanao's unconscious body out of the way, dropping his swords in the process, while Shunsui swore vehemently. His curses were echoed by the vizards, who gaped in shock at the disappearing doom beasts.

"Where'd that come from?" Kensei demanded, jabbing a finger at the portal.

Urahara frowned. "Fascinating…" He took several steps towards the fading shimmer hanging in the air, head cocked to one side. "It looks like an attempt to create a senkaimon…"

Shinji rolled his eyes. "No time to study it now." His eyes raked around the room. "We'll catch the ones that fled. Shunsui, Juushiro, can you go after the ones that went into that?" When the shinigami nodded, he barked, "Vizards, move out!"

They sprinted from the room, following the dim crashes as the doom beasts bulled through the walls of Szayel's fortress. Urahara looked after them for a second, then tipped his hat down. "Yoruichi and I will go with you; you'll need backup if you're chasing them through the Soul Society. Tessai?"

The kido master blinked slowly. "I'll watch the kids and the shop, boss."

"Fair enough." Urahara turned back to the shinigami. "You can leave Nanao-san with Tessai, if you want," he offered.

Juushiro glanced down at the slender body in his arms. She was breathing easily, but her reiatsu was practically nonexistent. "I think that'd be a good…" he began.

"No." The faint whisper may have been barely audible, but the tone was pure steel. Nanao's eyes drifted open as she struggled to lift her head, glaring as fiercely as she could at the assembled shinigami.

"Nanao-chan…" Shunsui started.

She transferred her glare to him, and he quickly shut his mouth. "I'm fine." None of them looked convinced, and she sighed. "To be more precise, I will be fine. But I'm seeing this through to the end." Using Juushiro's shoulder as a crutch, she levered herself to her feet and picked up Kajishizu, who had reverted to tanto form. Juushiro and Shunsui watched warily as she sheathed the blade, wobbling slightly as she fought to stand without help. She sighed again. "Seriously, I'll be fine. I promise to stay out of direct combat – how's that?" Her tone suggested that that was the most compromise they were going to get from her.

Juushiro bit his lip, then rested a hand on her shoulder. He didn't like the colorless state of her skin or the beads of sweat on her forehead, much less the echoing emptiness of her reiatsu reserves. While the former two could only be fixed by plenty of liquids and several days of rest, he could certainly help repair the latter.

Nanao shivered as Juushiro poured more reiatsu into her, replenishing some of her energy. As the emerald power flowed through her body, she stood up straighter and wiped a hand across her face. "Thanks," she murmured, offering Juushiro a sweet smile. He smiled back, and she tipped her head to the side, brushing it against his hand. Then her smile sharpened noticeably as she turned to face Shunsui. "So, is that acceptable?"

Shunsui groaned, muttering something about stubbornness. "You're one to talk," Juushiro teased.

Shunsui glared at him. "Fine. But you're not allowed to get hurt, alright?" Nanao nodded, eyes bright, and threw her arms around him; his expression softened. "Please, Nanao-chan, I mean it. Don't overexert yourself," he murmured into her hair. He would never forgive himself if she was injured – or worse, died – because he had given into her demands.

She laughed lightly. "Not a chance of that. I'm the sensible one, remember?"

"Present events seem to indicate otherwise," he muttered. Her smile gained a few more edges, and he grinned. Unable to resist teasing her a little more, he pointed out, "I seem to recall you chasing after Yama-jii… That doesn't count as very sensible either." Nanao glared at him, and he recoiled, hands raised. "Alright, alright, you're the sensible one! Totally sensible!" His lips twitched in a badly-concealed smile, glad to see the strength in her reaction.

Nanao's hands twitched as though she wanted to hit him for teasing her, but, without a book or fan in sight, she refrained. Disengaging from Shunsui's embrace, she eyed the shrunken group of shinigami. "Well, are we going to stand around here all day, or are we going to get moving?"

* * *

The inside of the portal was both similar and disturbingly dissimilar to a typical senkaimon. Nanao grimaced as its energies washed over her, grating against her bones like a melody tuned a half-step too high. Maybe it was due to her exhaustion – Shunsui may have been right to worry, though she refused to tell him that – but the simple act of stepping into the portal sent waves of dizziness through her body.

 _It tastes funny_ , Kajishizu complained. Nanao got the sense that the zanpakuto spirit was hiding from the malformed power emanating from the walls, and she couldn't blame her. If it had been in her power, she would have hid, too.

Unfortunately, that wasn't an option; her hell butterfly was already fluttering away. So she drew herself up, ramrod straight, and tried to pretend that every footstep through the dark tunnel didn't send flares of agony up her legs. It would be a shame to show weakness now, after they'd already agreed to let her accompany them.

They hadn't been walking for very long when Shunsui asked, "You know, does anyone have any idea where this lets out?" His tone was casual, as though he was simply asking about the weather.

Urahara shrugged cheerfully. "Not a clue."

He didn't sound bothered by that, but Nanao grimaced. "So you mean we could end up in the middle of the ocean or in some underground catacomb in the middle of nowhere?" Her voice spiked on the last word as she stumbled over a lump in the uneven path, and she swore under her breath.

"Oh, no, don't worry about that," Urahara reassured her. "It's impossible to build a senkaimon over the ocean."

"This isn't exactly a traditional senkaimon," Nanao growled, flinging a sardonic look over her shoulder.

"Nanao-chan, are you sure you're okay?" Shunsui asked gently.

Nanao opened her mouth to snap back, then paused. Heat, thankfully invisible in the darkness, flooded her cheeks, and she sighed. "I'm a bit tired," she admitted. "Sorry." If she was honest with herself, she was more than a bit tired, but that wasn't the main issue. Her temples were throbbing in reaction to her overuse of reiatsu, and little sparkles danced across her vision at irregular intervals. _Maybe insisting on coming was a mistake_ …

But she hated the thought of abandoning the battlefield before the fight was finished. _I want Shunsui to see me as an equal, dammit, and fainting like a damsel in distress is pretty much the worst way possible to accomplish that_. While she was 99% sure that he wouldn't actually see it that way, that last 1% nagged at her like an itch she couldn't scratch. Even if her captain didn't consciously view her as one of his dainty conquests, it would reinforce his desire to protect her.

Nanao smiled to herself. _And maybe I'm just stubborn_. She hadn't let anything stand in her way on her journey to lieutenant, and she wasn't going to let a little bit of pain stop her now.

Another uneven bit of ground sent shockwaves through her bones, and she winced. _Okay, maybe it's a bit more than a little bit of pain… Still, I'm not giving up when we're this close_. They'd already been walking for over fifteen minutes; the exit had to be approaching soon.

She frowned. Actually, they should be able to see the light from it by now, but there was nothing. Only endless blackness stretching on as far as the eye could see. "Um, Urahara-san? Shouldn't we, well, be there by now?"

The eccentric scientist coughed. "Ah, yes, about that… it seems that this senkaimon may be a bit… faulty."

"Faulty?" she asked acidly.

"Well, yes… It's nothing to worry about, though; I'm sure we'll arrive eventually."

Yoruichi drove a fist into Urahara's shoulder. "Eventually isn't good enough. Those doom beasts could be out there already, wreaking havoc!" She sighed and murmured a few words, sending a ball of light to hover above the group. The hell butterflies drew to a halt as she rolled her eyes. "Now, I think we'd all like to know where we're going, and how long it will take to get there. Care to explain?"

Urahara waited for her to gesture towards him before taking the floor. "I'm afraid I can't answer that precisely, but at the moment the portal is perfectly stable."

"At the moment?" Shunsui muttered skeptically.

Urahara ignored him. "I know this is taking longer than usual, but that's truly nothing to worry about. Without sufficient power, the senkaimon – or, more appropriately, portal – is unable to fully control the time-dilation effects of the Dangai. That's all it is."

Nanao held out her hand, letting her hell butterfly settle down onto her fingers. "I thought these were supposed to prevent that?" The butterfly flapped its wings, as if to concur.

"In an ordinary senkaimon, they do," Urahara explained, assuming a lecturing tone. "But this is not an ordinary senkaimon. I believe that the hell butterflies are still having a beneficial effect, but I would have to do more tests to make sure. Anyone want to volunteer to enter the portal without a hell butterfly?" Yoruichi punched him again, and he smiled flippantly at her. "Just kidding."

"You wouldn't be if any of them took you up on it," she muttered under her breath. Urahara's lips quirked, and she glared at him. "Come on then, let's get out of here before the thing collapses on us." Without waiting for a response, she tossed her hell butterfly into the air and strode away, taking the light with her.

Nanao stifled a groan as she followed, cursing her uncooperative body as more sparks darted across her vision. Yoruichi's ball of light had acquired a scintillating rainbow halo which she was fairly sure did not exist in the real world, and her vision kept switching in and out of the physical plane. The surrounding captains kept their reiatsu well-contained, but that didn't prevent her from wincing every time she caught a glimpse of their spirit energy – in the darkness of the Dangai, it was painfully bright.

At least Kajishizu kept her own powers under control. With her nerves scraped raw, Nanao knew she wouldn't be able to handle any sort of emotional flux without breaking into tears. _And I really don't want to do that in front of my captain_ …

 _It'll all be okay_ , Kajishizu soothed, sending her waves of reassurance and happiness. _See? We're almost out_.

Her zanpakuto was right. Nanao could spot a faint glow at the end of the tunnel, heralding the exit. It appeared to be miles away, but swiftly grew bigger and bigger as the group trotted towards it. The light was warm and inviting, the sort of soft golden glow common around sunrise and sunset. Nanao heaved a sigh of relief. _I really hope we're not too late_ …

* * *

They stumbled out of the portal into the gray, thin light of a cloudy Soul Society dawn. Shunsui drew in a breath of clean, crisp air and beamed at the world, throwing his arm around Juushiro's shoulders and laughing merrily. Juushiro smiled softly and hugged him back. The living world was fun to visit, but nothing quite matched up to their home. Even Urahara and Yoruichi had small smiles on their faces, though both did their best to hide it.

Unfortunately, Nanao didn't look quite as happy. The joy was there, but it was overshadowed by the pain creasing the corners of her eyes and wrinkling her forehead. Shunsui relinquished his grip on Juushiro and slid his arm around her waist, pulling her in to his chest. She sagged gratefully against him, too tired to worry about appearances.

Then a scream split the air and she bolted upright. "Dammit!" Shunsui cast a worried look at her, and she shook her head. "You all go; I'll catch up."

Juushiro nodded crisply. "Be careful." Unsheathing his swords, which had remained in shikai form, he launched himself into shunpo. Urahara followed on his heels; Yoruichi had already disappeared.

Shunsui glanced after them, hesitated, then yanked Nanao into a quick kiss. "Don't you dare get hurt," he threatened, running his fingers through her hair.

She smiled up at him. "I won't. Now get going! I'll be right behind you."

She would be lucky if she could manage more than two shunpo steps without falling over, and Shunsui knew it, but he also knew that protesting was useless. So he gave her another kiss, pulled Katen Kyokotsu out of his sash, and vanished.

It only took him a few seconds to home in on the unmistakable fury of clashing reiatsu, but by the time he arrived the battle was already in full swing. Seven doom beasts lumbered through the forest, swinging blindly as Juushiro, Urahara, and Yoruichi darted around them. Claws whistled through the air, teeth clashed, but the shinigami were always one step ahead. Yoruichi, Goddess of Flash, was easily the fastest, but Urahara and Juushiro weren't far behind.

Shunsui felt his heart start to pound faster as he watched his lover dance through the battlefield, moving in perfect synchronicity with the two former captains. With his white hair streaming behind him, clad only in a black shihakusho, he was utterly gorgeous. Shunsui grinned. _Of course, I might be a bit biased there_. But it had been decades since he'd had the chance to watch Juushiro fight properly, and he'd forgotten how mesmerizing it was. Every move was perfectly timed; every cut was perfectly placed.

"Are you planning on helping, or just watching?"

Shunsui stuck his tongue out at Yoruichi, who smirked. "Just admiring your beauty," he teased.

She tossed her hair out of her eyes, then backflipped out of the way of a doom beast's lunge. "I know exactly who you were watching, and it wasn't me." A quick shunpo step sent her out of the way of a second doom beast, which collided with the first with a roar. "Hey, Juushiro, tell your lover to get his mind out of the gutter!"

Shunsui laughed delightedly as pink stained Juushiro's cheeks. "Shunsui…" He flashed over to Shunsui's side. "Fight now, flirt later, alright?"

Shunsui desperately wanted to kiss him then, but the imminent arrival of yet another doom beast forestalled that plan. Both of them flashed out of the way, and it barreled into the thick trunk of an oak tree. It survived; the tree wasn't so lucky. "Whatever you say, my love!" he called, sending both of Katen Kyokotsu's blades slicing through the monster's head. "For what could give me greater pleasure than obeying you?" Juushiro's blush intensified, and Shunsui grinned. He loved teasing his partner, especially at the most inopportune times. Captains' meetings were the best, but in the midst of battle was a close second.

"Just shut up and fight," Juushiro muttered, spinning out of the way of a charging doom beast. Another followed hot on its heels, and he tossed a fireball into its face. The resulting explosion sent both creatures tumbling, soot staining their bone-covered hides.

Unfortunately for Juushiro, a third doom beast managed to avoid the blast. As the smoke dissipated, it lunged for the pale captain with claws outstretched and jaw gaping. He dodged out of the way, but it pivoted to follow, nicking him with one jagged claw. Shunsui swore and threw himself at the monster, which snarled as it whirled to face him. Juushiro seized the opening, plunging Sogyo no Kotowari's blades into the doom beast's back just as Shunsui impaled it from the front. It yelped piteously.

"Now this looks like fun," a voice commented from above. Both Shunsui and Juushiro looked up to see Captain Zaraki, feet planted firmly at treetop level, grinning fiercely as he watched the chaos. Ikkaku and Yumichika stood behind him – the former bore an identical bloodthirsty grin, while the latter just looked bored. "You always make life interesting, don't you, Kyoraku?"

Shunsui chuckled, then hastily glanced back down at the doom beast, which was writhing away from his blades. Impaling it more firmly, he called back, "Come to help, or just watch?"

Yumichika heaved a put-upon sigh. "Well, we were informed of a disturbance out here, but it looks like you four have it well in hand." Rolling his eyes, he muttered, "I can't believe I had to interrupt my beauty sleep for this; you clearly don't need any help."

Shunsui was too busy fending off the sudden attack of two more doom beasts to reply. As he yanked Katen Kyokotsu out of the doom beast in front of him, it spun and lashed out at Juushiro, who blocked and leapt backwards. Yoruichi flew past in a blur of shunpo, chased by another pair of doom beasts, and Shunsui lost sight of Juushiro for a moment. Then both of his doom beasts lunged at him, and he was too busy fending them off to search for his lover.

"Or… maybe they do," Ikkaku drawled, swinging his zanpakuto off of his shoulder. "Besides, we can't let them have all the fun. Extend, Hozukimaru!" As his katana lengthened into its spear form, he dove into the fray.

Yumichika rolled his eyes again. "Fine. These creatures are incredibly ugly; it'll be a service to the world to get rid of them." He ran his hand over his own zanpakuto, splitting it into four sickle-shaped blades, before following Ikkaku downwards.

Zaraki didn't bother with any of that. Shunsui blinked as one of the doom beasts attacking him was abruptly yanked away and hurled into a nearby tree, smashing through it as well as the trees behind it. The other doom beast stared after its companion for a brief second, then resumed its attack with redoubled ferocity. Shunsui sliced open its gut, then slashed across its face, but it just kept coming.

Zaraki grunted. "Damn, these things really don't die easy, do they?" He shrugged. "Well, more fun for me!"

Shunsui stepped back as Zaraki, with a feral grin splitting his face, lunged into the battle. The arrival of the three members of the eleventh division had evened out the numbers, giving their side a bit of breathing room, but it wasn't helping as much as he might have hoped. Juushiro was now leading a doom beast on a helter-skelter chase through the battlefield, frustrating it and injuring it every time it turned around, but the injuries healed as fast as he could inflict them. Urahara and Yoruichi were tag-teaming another pair of doom beasts, switching between them rapidly enough to make any sane shinigami dizzy, while Ikkaku and Yumichika sparred with their own opponents. Zaraki had taken on both of the ones that Shunsui had been fighting, and was gleefully using their own strength against them – neither could lay a claw on him.

However, he couldn't hurt them either. His reiatsu swirled around him in a furious golden maelstrom, flattening the surrounding foliage and whipping the air into a frenzy, but the doom beasts bulled right through it, absorbing it as they went. Shunsui grimaced and took a prudent step backwards. In terms of raw power, Zaraki was easily the strongest of the captains; if he couldn't touch the doom beasts, they were all in serious trouble.

In fact, it looked like his immense strength was working against him – the doom beasts facing him were perceptibly faster than the others, and a gentle yellow haze glowed around their muzzles. He had far too much spirit energy to notice the minor drain, but it would become an issue sooner or later. They had to end this soon, before the doom beasts realized what a feast they had stumbled across. The air of the Soul Society alone could provide them enough energy to live virtually forever – add in a half-dozen captain-level fighters, and only kami knew how strong they could get.

Katen Kyokotsu snickered. _The peacock says he has a solution to that, but his master won't let him come out and play_.

Shunsui blinked in shock. _The peacock?_ he asked silently. His zanpakuto sounded unusually eager to help, with no trace of the moodiness that often marred her abilities. While he didn't fully trust such sudden helpfulness, he wasn't about to turn down possible aid.

 _Yes, the peacock. He dislikes the doom beasts, as you call them; their abilities are ugly copies of his own, and he can't stand that_. Katen Kyokotsu's mental voice sounded vaguely supercilious; Shunsui got the feeling that she didn't particularly like the peacock, whoever he was. Unfortunately, that didn't help him identify the peacock – Katen Kyokotsu disliked nearly everyone.

Shunsui frowned. _Who is_ … Then something clicked in his head. _You mean Ayasegawa's zanpakuto?_

When he sent Katen Kyokotsu a mental image of Yumichika, she nodded. _He says he wants to be released, and he won't stop nagging everyone around him_.

Shunsui's lips quirked at her petulant tone. No wonder she was willing to convey the peacock's message – she wanted some peace and quiet. That was more like her.

A dull roar heralded the arrival of one of the doom beasts Zaraki had been fighting. It tumbled uncontrollably through the air, apparently hurled aside by the eleventh division captain. Shunsui slashed through its neck and belly, then hastily backpedaled as it snapped at his arm. Was it just his imagination, or had its fangs grown even longer and sharper? He dodged to the side to get a better look, then swore as the doom beast's spiked tail crashed into his thigh. Searing pain scorched down his leg as he threw himself out of range.

 _Focus, you idiot!_ Katen Kyokotsu snapped. _And heal yourself; you're bleeding like a stuck pig_.

Shunsui grimaced and clapped a hand over the wound, hastily summoning a basic healing kido as he dodged the doom beast's attacks. It had definitely gotten faster; it was nearly as fast as he was. _We've clearly got no time to waste_ … But how to convince Yumichika to release his true shikai?

Zaraki took the question out of his hands. "Hey, Yumichika, get your head out of your ass and use your damn powers already!"

Yumichika froze. "Captain?"

Zaraki rolled his eyes, negligently sending a doom beast flying with a flick of his sword. "You know what I'm talking about; did you think they wouldn't tell me?"

Fear flickered into Yumichika's eyes, only to be quickly replaced by resignation. "Yes, captain." He took a deep breath. "Tear in frenzy, Ruri'iro Kujaku."

* * *

The fight ended quickly after that. Ruri'iro Kujaku's tendrils enveloped the seven doom beasts in the blink of an eye, draining them dry before any of them could react. A satisfied smile played about Yumichika's lips as the husks collapsed into dust one by one, though he kept shooting worried glances at Zaraki and Ikkaku. Neither appeared particularly surprised or annoyed, however.

Finally Zaraki clapped him on the shoulder. "Good job."

A faint blush bloomed on Yumichika's cheeks as he tossed his hair over his shoulder. "You… I mean, of course, captain. It was rather beautiful, wasn't it?"

Ikkaku snorted. "Sure. It was beautiful. Happy?"

A brilliant smile broke out across Yumichika's face. "That…" he began. Then he stumbled backwards as Nanao materialized out of shunpo and narrowly avoided crashing into him. "What the…?"

Juushiro flashed over to Nanao's side; Shunsui was right on his heels. The slender lieutenant's face was pasty white and sweat dripped down her brow; her reiatsu was little more than an ember. Nevertheless, she struggled to stand upright, waving off the help of the captains. "I'll be…" She coughed. "Fine."

As she started listing to the side, Shunsui wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back upright. "Sure you will," he promised. "After you get plenty of rest." He smoothed her hair away from her forehead and sighed. "What were you thinking, travelling so fast?" He hadn't expected to see her for another ten minutes – she had to have pushed herself past her limits to arrive so quickly.

She shrugged jerkily, then relaxed as Juushiro rested his hands on her shoulders. "I wanted to make sure you were all okay," she muttered sheepishly.

"Sweetheart, I'm fine; we're all fine," Shunsui reassured her.

Her eyes narrowed. "You're bleeding."

He glanced down to see that she was right; the wound in his thigh had opened up again. "Ah, well, about that…"

Nanao smacked his shoulder, and he winced, though the blow had almost no force behind it. "Bleeding is not fine." A flicker of kido danced around her fingers before vanishing into smoke, and she grimaced.

"Here, let me," Juushiro offered.

His healing spell was both more powerful and faster than Shunsui's; the relief from pain was immediate. Shunsui grinned. "Now I know why I love you so much!" He pulled Juushiro into a bear hug, folding Nanao into the middle. She squeaked, protesting something about public dignity, but made no move to disengage from the three-way embrace. Shunsui sighed happily.

A quiet cough from Urahara recalled him to his surroundings. "I hate to interrupt, but…" He held out a hell butterfly. "You need to hear this."

Juushiro reached out and lifted the hell butterfly off of Urahara's palm. "This is Captain Ukitake. Speak," he ordered.

"Captain Ukitake. Captain Kyoraku. Lieutenant Ise. You are hereby ordered to report to the interim council immediately upon receipt of this message, without delay or deviance of any kind. Be prepared to tender a report on your actions of the past month, as well as any interactions you may have had with the so-called vizards. Please also be prepared for a formal evaluation of your respective powers and abilities." The voice paused for a second, then added, "We hope this message finds you well." Another short pause. "This message was sent by the order of Lord Nishimura, acting head of the interim council."

Shunsui and Juushiro exchanged glances. "Well, this doesn't sound good," Juushiro murmured.

Zaraki rolled his eyes. "The new council is a pain in the ass, trying to tell us what to do every minute of the day."

"They're hardly beautiful," Yumichika chimed in.

Shunsui heaved a sigh. "Well, looks like this day is far from over." He slung one arm around Juushiro's waist and the other around Nanao's shoulders. "Come on then; let's go see what our new overlords want with us. But…" He paused and held up a finger. "After we deal with them, though, I want a full day of relaxation with nothing to do. No paperwork, no crises to deal with, just sake and sunlight and you two."

Nanao smiled softly. "It's a date."


End file.
